The government has released GH?150 million for disbursement as cash grants to vulnerable households under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme for the 97th payment cycle.

The 97th payment cycle covers May and June this year and reflects a 25 per cent increase in allowances, restored during the 96th cycle.

Beneficiaries of the 97th payment cycle will receive both the regular cash grant, now reflecting the 25 per cent increase, and outstanding arrears from the previous cycle (96th cycle).

One-member eligible households will receive a payment of GH?320 for the 97th cycle, with an additional GH?64 as top-up arrears, making a total of GH?384. Two-member households will receive GH?380 with GH?76 as top-up arrears, bringing the total to GH?456. Three-member households will receive GH?440 for the 97th cycle, with GH?88 as top-up arrears, totalling GH?528. Four or more-member households will be paid GH?530, with an additional GH?106 as top-up arrears, amounting to GH?636.

The payments, which began on Monday, will benefit 350,580 households, equivalent to 1,555,677 individuals, across all 260 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs). This is the third time this year the government has disbursed funds under LEAP to beneficiaries.

The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, announced the latest payments at a press briefing in Accra.

Background

In March, the government disbursed GH?265.22 million for the 94th and 95th payment cycles. It again disbursed GH?139.25 million for the 96th payment cycle of the LEAP Programme in June. These payments benefited 350,000 households across 260 MMDAs. The joint disbursement covered the 94th cycle (November–December 2024) and the 95th cycle (January–February 2025), while the 96th cycle covered March to April this year.

With the 25 per cent upward adjustment, one-member households, which previously received GH?265, will now receive GH?320, while two-member households will receive GH?380, up from GH?304. Three-member households will get GH?440, an increase from GH?352, while households with four or more members will be paid GH?530 instead of the previous GH?424.

Arrears

Dr Lartey said that during the immediate past 96th payment cycle in June 2025, the Ministry commenced the implementation of the indexation of the LEAP grant against inflation, resulting in a 25 per cent increase in the cash grant for each beneficiary household. However, she noted that the top-up amount could not be paid to beneficiary households at the time.

“As a result, the payment of this 97th cycle includes the top-up arrears,” she added.