The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection is expected to expand coverage of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme to 470,000 households by the end of December 2026, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has announced.
According to the Minister, the expansion forms part of the government’s reform commitments under Ghana’s proposed 36-month Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Presenting the mid-year budget review on Thursday, July 23, Dr. Forson said the LEAP expansion is aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of Ghana’s social protection programmes and improving support for vulnerable households.
The Finance Minister explained that Ghana’s engagement with the IMF will transition from the ECF programme, which provided financial support, to a non-financing PCI
“Completing the ECF does not mean Ghana walks away from the IMF, as Ghana is an IMF member country. It means Ghana changes the nature of the relationship,” the minister said.
He described the transition as a move from seeking financial assistance to engaging the IMF as a reform partner.
“The PCI is not a bailout. It carries no new IMF disbursements. Ghana is not borrowing money from the IMF under the PCI,” he added.
Dr. Forson explained that the PCI would allow Ghana to continue leveraging the IMF’s regular policy assessments and expertise as a signal to investors, thereby certifying the credibility of stewardship and further strengthening the country’s credit rating.
The Minister said the new framework will be anchored on six broad pillars, including sustaining growth-friendly fiscal adjustment, safeguarding debt sustainability, and strengthening fiscal transparency and governance.
Beyond the expansion of LEAP, other reform targets under the PCI include a comprehensive review of excise and customs legislation by the Ghana Revenue Authority and the development of a strategy for private sector participation in electricity distribution.
