Akuapem north: The Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Committee has convened a meeting with Heads of Departments, community focal persons, and stakeholders in the Akuapem North Municipality to discuss strategies for Community Information and Communication (CIC) education and community visits. The meeting is part of an initiative to prepare for a new validation of the LEAP register as part of a reassessment program in the municipality.
According to Ghana News Agency, Miss Rosemary Amoako Gyese, the Akuapem North Municipal Assistant LEAP Focal Person of the Social Welfare Department, stated that the main goal is to visit the 32 LEAP communities to provide comprehensive education on the criteria for selecting beneficiaries. This initiative aims to help community members better understand the validation process when it begins. Miss Gyese highlighted that since LEAP's inception in 2008, there has not been a reassessment, which ideally should occur every four years. She added that the Akuapem North Municipality launched its LEAP program in 2016, and no validation or reassessment has taken place since then.
Miss Gyese noted that the reassessment team will conduct community outreach to ensure that marginalized and extremely poor individuals have the opportunity to benefit from the program. Additionally, individuals who were excluded or faced difficulties during household registration will be reassessed and potentially re-enrolled in the scheme to ensure accurate data collection. She mentioned that the LEAP team, in collaboration with the Social Welfare and Community Development Departments, has established a monitoring mechanism to ensure that logistics, materials, and funds allocated for beneficiaries are utilized effectively.
Currently, data from the Social Welfare Department indicates there are 574 total LEAP beneficiaries, including 154 extremely poor individuals, with over 300 graduates who are now thriving.