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Increase LEAP stipends—Advocate of the Aged Welfare pleads
The government has been urged to increase stipends given to beneficiaries of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) especially the aged, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This, in the view of Advocates of the Aged Welfare, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), would go a long way to aid the elderly to meet their daily needs especially during these trying times.
According to the Executive Director of the NGO, Richard Ofori, the support received by the aged had declined because their dependents were grappling with the economic impact of COVID-19, including job losses.
In an interview with the Ghanaian Times yesterday, he said; “The socio-economic effect of the COVID-19 will eventually reduce the number of aged to death if nothing is immediately done to mitigate the impact.”
He was speaking on the backdrop of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day which is being marked today across the world on the theme “The impact of COVID-19 on violence, abuse and neglect of elderly persons.”
The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has designated June 15 to focus global attention on the problem of physical, emotional, and financial abuse of elders and seek support to make their lives more comfortable.
The LEAP stipends, introduced in 2008, is given to the extremely poor including aged who are 65 years and above without any form of support, severely disabled without productive capacity and orphaned and vulnerable children.
As of last year, a household of a beneficiary was paid GH¢64 every two months, households of two, three and four beneficiaries were paid GH¢74, 83 and GH¢106, respectively every two months.
This, according Mr Ofori, was not sufficient in the prevailing times.
On abuse, he said the WHO estimated that one out of the six people aged 60 and above suffered abuse, adding that a survey conducted by his NGO in 2009 showed that seven out of 10 aged people in Ghana suffered same fate including neglect.
He said the abuse was still ongoing with many aged tagged as witches and wizards, a situation which, was affecting the elderly people emotionally and thus urged the public to report incidences of aged abuse to the police.
Mr Ofori appealed to the government to dedicate some health facilities as specialist hospitals for the aged because most of them were afraid to go for their routine check-ups due to the fear of contracting the virus.
Source: Ghanaian Times
The Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has met first term Members of Parliament to strengthen cooperation between his office and newly elected legislators.
The engagement was organised to help build better working relations and improve communication within the House.
Bagbin stressed the value of open interaction and mentioned that similar sessions will later involve continuing MPs, the media and the public through televised programmes.
He reiterated the 9th Parliament’s goal of promoting openness and inclusion, describing integrity, honesty, civility and participation as key values for national progress.
He encouraged the creation of a mentorship system to allow experienced members to guide new ones.
Bagbin reflected on the growth of Ghana’s legislature over the years, noting a shift from strong partisan conduct to a more mature multiparty atmosphere.
He urged MPs to maintain their party identity while working together for development.
Present at the meeting were the Clerk to Parliament Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, the Deputy Majority Whip Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe and the Deputy Minority Leader Patricia Appiagyei.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The attention of the Ministry of the Interior has been drawn to information that the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, has survived two assassination attempts while discharging his duties to the Republic.
According to the ministry in a statement, the Director of Strategy, Research, and Communications at the Office of the Special Prosecutor, Mr. Samuel Appiah Darko, mentioned the assassination attempt on Newsfile, a television station in Accra, on December 6, 2025.
He also claimed on the same programme that he had been handcuffed and beaten by 17 police personnel.
“Beyond the security implications of these claims, such dangers to personnel of accountability institutions, if true, can undermine the government’s efforts to combat corruption, which have intensified since it took office,” the ministry stated,
The Ministry has therefore taken up the matter with the seriousness it deserves with some preliminary findings on the alleged assassination attempt.
The ministry revealed that initial contacts with Mr. Kissi Agyebeng have revealed that the assassination attempts on him, as claimed, happened before this year.
“There is no record or report of such threats against his life at any police station or at any of the state security agencies in the country,” the statement further added.
Against this backdrop, the Minister of Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak has further directed that “Since crime does not expire, the Ministry has ordered a full-scale investigation into the claim of assassination attempts.”
The Ministry has also ordered an investigation into the claim by Mr. Samuel Appiah Darko that he was handcuffed and beaten by 17 police personnel.
The Ministry noted that it will update the public on the outcome of these investigations and the actions to be taken.
The Ministry of Interior has reiterated its commitment to protecting all lives and properties to ensure that all Ghanaians can conduct their lawful affairs without any fear for their safety.
