The Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, received a courtesy call from a high-level World Bank delegation led by Dr. Patrick M.D. Mullen, Program Leader and Lead Specialist for Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and Madam Cornelia M. Tesliuc, Lead Economist on Social Protection and Labor.
Expanding budget support, advancing policy reforms, and expediting important programs like the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), the Ghana National Household Registry (GNHR), and the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) initiative were the main objectives of their visit, which also served to congratulate the Minister on her appointment.
In order to guarantee the successful execution of the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project (GPSNP II), especially its second component that supports Ghana’s social protection measures, the World Bank team reaffirmed their commitment to working with the Ministry during the meeting.
The Social Protection Bill was a major topic of discussion; if it is approved, it will likely improve Ghana’s legal foundation for social welfare initiatives.
The World Bank team was upbeat about the bill’s potential effects, stressing that passing it would be a significant step in guaranteeing long-lasting social security programs for disadvantaged groups.
The Sector Minister emphasized the government’s steadfast commitment to social protection, noting that the President has made lowering poverty and vulnerability a top priority for the country’s agenda.
“It is the President’s vision that poverty and vulnerability in Ghana are reduced to the lowest minimum. Social protection is not just a government programme, it is a lifeline for millions of Ghanaians,” she said.
She also said that she will work with the Parliamentary Committee on Gender and other important stakeholders to ensure the Social Protection Bill is passed as soon as possible.
In order to increase efficiency and make sure that the program better serves kids and schools nationwide, she also disclosed that the President has pledged to decentralize the GSFP.
The World Bank delegation was reassured by Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey of her open-door policy, stressing that she wants further collaboration and involvement to strengthen social protection initiatives.
She also promised to make sure that GPSNP II projects are completed effectively and on schedule. The heads of the three main implementing units, GNHR, GSFP, and LEAP, who attended the meeting gave updates on their programs and described ways to improve results.
Ghana is ready to expand its social protection programs and make sure that no one is left behind, thanks to the World Bank’s renewed support and capable government leadership.
Source: newsthemegh.com