Three Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are urging the government to release the delayed Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) grants to beneficiaries.
The CSOs – Civil Society Platform on Sustainable Development Goal 10, Social Accountability Forum, and Civil Society Platform for Social Protection – say the four-month delay has caused hardships for beneficiaries.
The delay comes despite the government’s commitment to timely disbursement as part of the recent IMF bailout negotiations. Beneficiaries, including the elderly, orphans, vulnerable children, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities, are struggling due to the delay.
The cost of living has increased by 15% over the past year, with food prices rising by 20%. Jeleel Odoom, Convener of the Civil Society Platform on SDG Goal 10, called on the government to promptly release the LEAP funds.
Odoom stated that the delay highlights a breach of trust and duty by the government. The CSOs jointly issued a press statement urging the government to expeditiously pay the grants to alleviate the suffering of LEAP beneficiaries.
The government’s commitment to timely disbursement was a condition of the IMF bailout negotiations. The CSOs’ call to action seeks to ensure the government honors its commitment and supports the vulnerable populations relying on the LEAP programme.
