GHANA SOCIAL PROTECTION

FRAMING VARIOUS EFFORTS TO

STRENGTHEN LINKS WITH OTHER
SECTORS AND CHALLENGES

RICHARD ADJETEY (Ag. Director, Social Protection)

PhD in Health Policy &Management, Student.
+233246802133
richmedadjetey@gmail.com

Presentation Outline
Background
Institutional/Governance
Ghana

structure

National Household Registry

Challenges

BACKGROUND
In order to address issues of poverty,
vulnerability and exclusion in Ghana and also
to meet the objectives of the MDGs (now SDGs)
and other national and international legal and
policy objectives, the Government of Ghana
has adopted Social Protection as a tool for
poverty reduction.
developed
and
implemented
programmes
support all categories of the poor, extremely poor, vulnerable
and excluded

Cont.
However,

these programmes have not been

able to achieve the desired results. One of

the

reasons

collaboration
linkages

and

for

the

limited

cross

sectoral

complementarities

among

for

this;
effective

is

Social Protection Interventions implemented

by various MDAs, MMDAs and CSOs

EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN LINKS WITH OTHER SECTORS

Creation of an effective and efficient partnership and collaboration

among stakeholders such as the Government, Civil Society, traditional
authorities, communities, and Development Partners.

Formulation and development of a policy and legal framework for

social protection.

An institutional / governance framework from the national, regional,

district and community levels to facilitate effective and efficient
management in the implementation of Social Protection interventions.
Establishment of a National Single Registry database, the Ghana
National Household Registry data base, to facilitate the effective and
efficient identification and selection of beneficiaries.

Strengthened coordination among the various social protection

interventions to ensure complementarity of interventions to facilitate
graduation of beneficiaries into market oriented interventions to
ensure sustainability of interventions.

Electronic disbursements to beneficiaries and service providers of

Social Protection interventions such as the LEAP programme, LIPW,
Emergency LEAP and the GSFP.
A sustainable financing mechanism to ensure adequate and timely
disbursement of social grants to beneficiaries.

An effective and efficient monitoring and evaluation system to track

progress of implementation.

INSTITUTIONAL
ARRANGEMENTS

Cont.
Prior to the development of the National
Social Protection Strategy in 2007, Social
Protection was implemented in Ghana in an
uncoordinated,
poorly
and
ineffective
targeted manner.
Cabinet Memorandum (2014), memorandum
which mandates the Ministry of Gender,
Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) was
to develop and implement institutional
arrangements

IMCC

A Social Protection Sub Technical Committee

under IMCC
This committee is chaired by the Minister ,
MoGCSP and would provide strategic oversight of
social protection in Ghana

Approving targets for

the social protection
sector and periodic
review of progress
against such.

Approving annual plans

for the social protection
sector developed by
the MoGCSP with input
from the Technical
Committee and

A Social Protection Technical

Committee.
This
is chaired by the Chief Director, MoGCSP.

Develop targets for the

SP sector for approval by
the Social Protection
Sub Technical
Committee under IMCC
and periodic reporting
against such.

Discuss technical
proposals for the
implementation of
policies or reforms
upon request of the
Inter-Ministerial
Committee or
MoGCSP.

Regional Social Protection Coordinating

Committees;

This is chaired by the Chief Regional Minister

Facilitate the effective and

efficient monitoring and
evaluation of Social
Protection Interventions at
the district level.

District Social Protection Committees:

(DSPCs)
This technical, multi-sectoral committee is set up
within each MMDA and located within the District
Planning and Coordinating Unit (DPCU) of the
District Assembly.
The District Coordinating Director shall facilitate the
formation of the DSPCs with support from the District
Social Welfare/Community Development Officer and
the District Planning Officer.

To strengthen the capacity of MMDAs to coordinate, collaborate and

effectively implement Social Protection programmes.
To promote access to social services and livelihood income earning
programmes within the MMDAs.
To act as a Social Protection reference centre to effectively coordinate
available services

Sensitization of
Communities
on social
protection
activities

Facilitate the
formation of the
Community Social
Protection
Committee
(CSPCs) in
selected
communities

Organize
and
conduct the
training of
the CSPCs.

Compile and
update a
directory of
Complement
ary Services
in the
District.

Community Social Protection

Committees.
This is chaired by an appointed member
The selection of the team members is done by the
community after the sensitization.
Composition of CSPCs
1Community

Assemblyman (or his representative).

2.Representative from Community Health Centre
3.Ghana Education Service Staff (Secretary)
4.Representatives of Traditional authorities in the community (woman
and man).
5.Representatives of Religious authorities in the community.
6.A Women Leader
7.A opinion Leader
8.Agriculture extension person

The Functions of the

CSPCS
Undertake
Community
Undertake
sensitization
Identification of
on Social
eligible
Protection
households
through
Community
Based
Targeting
(CBT)

Assist
Enumerators in
household
identification
and listing
during the PMT
data collect

Community
Validation.

CT/CCT LINKAGE WITH OTHER

SP PROGRAMMES

LEAP & NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE

The

National Health insurance for all Ghanaians

including the exempt category was initiated in 2003 but
had challenges in identifying the exempt category
beneficiaries.
The LEAP was established in 2008 to provide cash
transfer support to the extreme poor and vulnerable
LEAP & NHIS signed MoU in 2010 for fee free
registration of LEAP beneficiaries for the exempt group.
LEAP & NHIS collaboration to

register children in School feeding beneficiary schools on NHIS

Identification and registration of elderly 56yrs+
Registration of inmates of prisons and
Registration of inmates of leprosaria

LEAP & NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE

The National Health Insurance collaboration with
MoGCSP to use the Ghana National Household
Registry Targeting (GNHR) targeting mechanism to
extend health coverage to extreme poor in 10
Districts in 5 Regions.

(The initiative is supported by Africa Health Market for

Equity (AHME) partners Marie Stopes International and
PharmAccess Group).

The collaboration is yielding useful results

LEAP & NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE

innovation of LMU&NHIA sharing database
90% of LEAP beneficiary households registered on
NHIS
These households spend less on health
Utilisation of health care facilities increased
Complementarity of LEAP+NHIS contributes to
enhance productive capacity of beneficiaries
Some of the challenges being addressed
include:
Delays in enrolment of LEAP beneficiaries
Delays/non renewal of NHIS cards. The two issues
are due to behavior of some NHIS staff.
Some staff sometimes charge unauthorised fees.

LEAP & NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE

challenges with the supply side, i.e, availability of
health facilities;
Limited access to health care services
Complaints of quality of service
Beneficiaries knowledge of entitlements
Delays in payment by NHIA to Service providers..

LEAP & Education

LEAP had positive impact on Education
Primary grade repetition reduced by 10%
Missing school reduced by 5%
Absenteeism reduced by 8%
Secondary education enrollment reduced by 10%
Missing school reduced by 11%

THANK YOU