Minister Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey Announces 70% LEAP Grant Hike and Shift to Enforced Gender Equity Reforms

Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has announced a landmark 70 percent increase in the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) grants, alongside a strategic shift from advocacy to legal enforcement of social protection policies. Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra, the Minister revealed that bi-monthly grants will rise from a 2024 average of GH¢334 to GH¢569 by late 2026. This financial expansion is backed by the Social Protection Act, 2025, which transitions social welfare from a discretionary intervention to a legally protected entitlement for Ghana’s most vulnerable citizens, including women, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), and the elderly.

The LEAP program's expansion includes raising the beneficiary ceiling from 350,000 to 450,000 households, with 226,000 families successfully graduating from extreme poverty following a comprehensive registry reassessment. Under the new rate structure effective September 14, 2026, households with one to two members including a vulnerable individual will receive GH¢392, while those with five or more members will receive GH¢630. To ensure transparency and protect against inflation, the Ministry has established toll-free lines for fraud reporting and grievances, emphasizing that enrollment remains free of charge for all eligible participants.

Beyond direct financial assistance, the government is operationalizing the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121). Minister Lartey challenged female journalists to champion this legislation, which mandates a minimum of 30 percent female representation in leadership by 2026, rising to 50 percent by 2030. The Ministry is also intensifying enforcement for disability inclusion, with nearly 20,000 PWDs benefiting from the Disability Common Fund and special schools receiving modern ICT equipment. These efforts align with President John Mahama’s regional leadership goals as Chair of the African Union, where he seeks to enhance women’s leadership and social protection frameworks across the continent.

Supporting these systemic changes, the Network for Women’s Rights (NETRIGHT) is advocating for a gender-responsive 2027 budget that moves beyond token interventions to intentional resource allocation based on gender-disaggregated data. While the government focuses on social equity, other national debates persist; notably, Rev Prof. Paul Frimpong-Manso recently defended the National Cathedral project as a resilient initiative that continues to drive dialogue despite ongoing controversies. Together, these developments reflect a dual focus by the Mahama administration on strengthening the national social safety net and fulfilling long-standing legislative promises to marginalized groups.