A high-level delegation from the World Bank, led by Madam Cornelia M. Tesliuc and Dr. Patrick M.D. Mullen, met with Ghana’s Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. The courtesy call aimed to congratulate the Minister on her appointment and discuss ways to enhance social protection initiatives in Ghana.
The meeting focused on expanding budget support, advancing policy reforms, and accelerating critical programs such as the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), the Ghana National Household Registry (GNHR), and the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) initiative. The World Bank team reaffirmed their commitment to collaborating with the Ministry to ensure the effective implementation of the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project (GPSNP II).
A key highlight of the discussion was the Social Protection Bill, which is expected to strengthen Ghana’s legal framework for social welfare programs. The World Bank delegation expressed optimism about the bill’s impact, emphasizing that its passage would be a major step toward ensuring sustainable social protection interventions for vulnerable populations.
Minister Lartey underscored the government’s focus on social protection, stating that the President has prioritized reducing poverty and vulnerability as a national 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 program—it is a lifeline for millions of Ghanaians,” she said.
The Minister also revealed plans to decentralize the GSFP to improve efficiency and ensure that the program better serves children and schools across the country. With renewed backing from the World Bank and strong government leadership, Ghana is poised to deepen its social protection initiatives, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
