As part of its commitment to resolve the impass egarding he Ablekuma North Constituency Parliamentary Election, the Electoral Commission(EC) yesterday, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, met with the representatives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The meeting, which was a follow-up to an earlier meeting held on Thursday, June 12, 2025, provided both parties the opportunity to brief the commission on any new
developments regarding the said constituency.

The parties informed the Commission that their positions put forward at the last mecting remained unchanged.

The NDC held the view that the election should be rerun thirty -seven
(37) Polling Stations because scanned Pink Sheets from 37 Polling Stations which were used to
collate the results, were provided the NPP.

The NPP was of the view that the results from three (3) outstanding Poling Stations be collated and a winner declared since the NDC Agents had verified and confirmed
the scanned Poling Station results they presented.

According to the EC, it is important for the public to understand that the issue in contention has to do with
the fact that 37 Pink Sheets provided by the NPP and used to colate the results were scanned copies.

“The Public may recall that Political Party supporters besieged our Collation Centre and
destroyed a number of the Pink Sheets for the Ablekuma North Parliamentary Elcction during the collation of results following the December 7 Gencral Election,” the EC added.

After extensive deliberations, the Commission informed the Political Parties that it would
proceed to rerun the election in 19
of the 37 Polling Stations.

The Commission arrived at the decision to rerun the election in the underlisted Polling Stations because, the scanned Polling Station resuits used for the collation, though approved by Agents of both political Parties, were not verified by the Presiding Officers responsible for the Polling
Stations.

According to the EC, it is instructive to note that the Commission was able to secure the Presiding Officers
verification and confirmation for 18 scanned Polling Station results-
Agents of both parties also approved same.

The election will be held on Friday, July 11, 2025

The Commission has further urged the Ghana Police Service to provide the needed security to ensure a safe environment for the conduct of the election.

The Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has undertaken a monitoring visit to payment centers in the Greater Accra Region to observe the ongoing disbursement of cash grants under the 96th cycle of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme.

Her visit underscores the Ministry’s commitment to accountability, transparency, and the effective delivery of social protection interventions.

A total of 269 beneficiaries from communities such as Gbawe, Mandela, New Weija, Tetegu, Weija Leprosarium, Weija, and Wiaboman converged at the Weija Leprosarium to access their LEAP cash grants.

This monitoring exercise aligns with the Minister’s pledge to oversee the nationwide disbursement of the 96th LEAP payment cycle.

During her visit, she interacted with both beneficiaries and payment agents to assess the efficiency of the process and address any emerging challenges.

Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey announced that the Government, through the Ministry, has commenced the indexation of the LEAP cash grant against inflation—a policy reform aimed at preserving the real value of the grant and cushioning poor households against economic shocks.

The revised LEAP grant amounts are as follows:

One-member household: increased from GH₵256 to GH₵320.00

Two-member household: increased from GH₵304 to GH₵380.00

Three-member household: increased from GH₵352 to GH₵440.00

Four or more-member household: increased from GH₵424 to GH₵530.00

Addressing the media, the Minister reiterated that the LEAP Programme provides vital financial support to extremely poor households with vulnerable individuals—including orphans and vulnerable children, persons with severe disabilities, elderly individuals aged 65 and above, as well as pregnant women and nursing mothers with infants under one year.

She emphasized that the Government of H.E. John Dramani Mahama is determined to reduce the cost of living by making the right and appropriate decisions to stimulate economic growth and development for all.

“The Government is taking measures to enhance the real value of the LEAP cash grant and its impact on key development indicators such as nutrition, health, schooling, productive investment, and social inclusion,” she stated.

The Minister encouraged beneficiaries to prioritize critical needs such as household nutrition, children’s education, and income-generating activities. While LEAP offers short-term financial relief, she urged them to also work toward long-term financial stability.

Reaffirming the Government’s commitment to strengthening social protection interventions, the Minister highlighted the ongoing efforts to improve the livelihoods of vulnerable households across the country.

The LEAP Programme, a flagship initiative under the Ministry, provides bi-monthly cash grants to extremely poor households to support their essential needs. The ongoing 96th payment cycle aims to reach thousands of beneficiaries nationwide.

The Minister’s monitoring visit forms part of a nationwide exercise to ensure all eligible beneficiaries receive their cash grants in a timely and efficient manner.