The beneficiaries include flood victims in Tamale, as well as tidal wave victims in the Keta municipality, Nkwanta South, Prestea/Huni Valley and Samreboi in the Western Region and victims of the Kintampo Waterfall disaster.

The cash grant is being offered under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP). 

Buffer

A release signed by the sector Minister, Ms Otiko Afisah Djaba, said in line with the country’s social protection policy and the ministry’s mandate to protect all vulnerable and disadvantaged people, emergency cash grant (Emergency LEAP) would be provided for affected persons in the various districts to prevent the use of negative coping strategies such as reduced investment in education, nutrition and health and the sale of assets as a mechanism to meet their consumption needs.

It said the cash grant would, therefore, serve as a buffer against the harsh impact of disasters on households.

It said through the Emergency LEAP programme, the ministry would assess the affected areas and, in conjunction with National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) officials in the various districts, identify all individuals who had been displaced by those disasters.

Payment period

The affected people, it said, would be paid cash grants for a period of three months to complement the assistance provided by NADMO, which mainly provides relief items.

The disbursement of the grant to identified and validated beneficiaries, it said, would be through the Ezwich platform of the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlements System (GHIPSS).

The release said the beneficiaries would be validated by their biometric fingerprints prior to the receipt of the cash grants.

It said officials of the ministry and NADMO at the national and district levels would be engaged to monitor the process and ensure the smooth implementation of the activities at all levels.