Directors of Department of Social Welfare, and District Information Officers have attended a training on the implementation of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme. The two-day trainer of trainers' workshop, held in Tamale, was to equip participants with information on the programme to facilitate sharing of programme information with LEAP beneficiaries, community members amongst other sub-national level stakeholders to enhance awareness and appreciation of the programme. It was organised by the LEAP Management Secretariat in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, with participants drawn from Bono East, Savannah, Northern, North East, Upper East, Upper West and Oti Regions. Mr Colson Akanbasiam, Head of Communications, LEAP Management Secretariat, speaking during the workshop, said it was to facilitate access to information amongst stakeholders of the programme to ensure meaningful utilisation of its benefits. He said it formed part of efforts to empower beneficiaries and community members to assert their rights and demand accountability, especially from duty-bearers on the LEAP programme. He emphasised that 'This initiative is also geared towards stimulating the demand for social services amongst LEAP beneficiaries so that in future, they will be better positioned and willingly want to exit the programme to pave way for others to be enrolled.' Mr Jeremiah Ninson Yanney, Head of Management Information Systems at LEAP Management Secretariat, said the total number of beneficiaries under the programme currently was 1,470,050 comprising 810,549 females and 659,501 males. Mr Yanney said as part of efforts to enhance mobility and the efficiency of operations, the Secretariat had procured motorbikes, laptop computers and tablets for all its officers in the implementing districts. He said the programme, by the close of October, this year would support beneficiary community members in all the eight regions affected by the recent dry spell with each househo ld set to receive GHc1,000. He called for more support from stakeholders to help address some of the challenges confronting the programme including the intermittent delays in the payment for beneficiaries. Madam Lilian Kpelle, Upper West Regional Director, Department of Social Welfare, said the training would help improve operations and ensure that LEAP beneficiaries received the needed support to enhance their livelihoods. Source: Ghana News Agency