5,210 communities affected by dry spell receive support
5,210 communities affected by dry spell receive support
5,210 communities affected by dry spell receive support
The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, through the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, has provided support to households across 5,210 communities affected by the recent dry spell.
The affected regions are Bono, Bono East, Oti, Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East, and Upper West, which account for 62% of the nation’s grain production.
The programme is supported by the Government of Ghana, the World Bank, and UNICEF.
The Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Dakoa Newman, disclosed this in Accra on Thursday, October 31, 2024, at a media briefing on the ‘Dry Spell Emergency Cash Transfer.’
The initiative is the government’s swift response to the extended dry conditions in agricultural regions, which threaten food security and the livelihoods of over 2,000,000 households.
The adverse effects of this climatic event have resulted in an estimated GH¢ 3.5 billion in losses, threatening food security, livelihoods, and the general well-being of communities in these regions.
According to the Gender Minister, recognizing the dry spell’s impact on poor and vulnerable populations, the government has initiated this one-time cash transfer to mitigate the immediate effects of the crisis.
Through the LEAP programme, 212,273 households across 5,210 communities will receive GH¢ 1,000 each as a cushion against the economic shocks induced by the dry spell.
This initiative aims to sustain basic needs, safeguard assets, and improve resilience for the future. The initiative aligns with our mandate to protect the vulnerable against disasters and emergencies, and we will monitor its effective implementation to ensure transparency and accountability.
She advised anyone who may encounter challenges during the exercise to call the designated grievance redress channels on 0800-800-800 or 0800-900-900 for swift action.
