The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has described social protection as a critical pillar of national development, saying no individual or family should be left without support because of poverty or vulnerability.

She said this in Accra yesterday at a community dialogue on social protection.

Dr Lartey said such dialogues went beyond informing citizens about government social protection programmes, as they also provided an opportunity for them to contribute to discussions on how the system could be improved.

She said social protection was based on the simple but important principle that vulnerable individuals and families should receive the support they needed, particularly when faced with poverty or circumstances beyond their control.

The Minister said the government’s commitment to strengthening social protection had been reinforced by the enactment of the Social Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1148), and the Social Protection Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2521).

According to her, the Act provided a comprehensive legal framework for the coordination and delivery of social protection services in Ghana.

She said the legislation represented an important step towards building a more coordinated, inclusive and resilient social protection system.

Dr Lartey disclosed that similar community engagements had already been held in five metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies across the country this year.

She encouraged stakeholders and citizens to work together to make social protection services more accessible, responsive and inclusive.

The Minister also stressed the need for citizens to participate actively in social protection programmes and systems to ensure that their concerns and needs were properly addressed.

Meanwhile, the Assembly Member for the Teshie Okesekor Electoral Area in the Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly (LEKMA), Mr Saint Kabu, said the Assembly had put measures in place to address the effects of drug and substance abuse in the community.

He said the Assembly had also established measures to support victims of rape and other vulnerable persons who needed assistance.

Mr Kabu said persons who reported rape cases at the police station would be referred to the Assembly for further support, adding that funds were available to assist victims.