Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has announced an allocation of GH¢3.4 billion to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to strengthen welfare interventions for vulnerable people, as part of the government’s 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy presented to Parliament.
The funding, under the budget dubbed “The New Economy”, will support the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme, the School Feeding Programme and targeted protection funds for people exposed to domestic violence and child and human trafficking.
“We have allocated GH¢3.4 billion to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to support vulnerable people and the services intended for them,”
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson
Dr Forson also outlined separate allocations for youth development and employment, including GH¢3.5 billion for the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment and GH¢156 million for the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment.
GH¢1.1bn allocated to LEAP Programme
A significant portion of the Gender Ministry’s allocation will go towards the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme, which has been assigned GH¢1.1 billion.
Dr Forson explained that the provision would deliver relief to extremely poor and vulnerable households through the programme. The allocation forms part of the government’s social protection commitments, with LEAP serving as a key intervention for households facing hardship.
The School Feeding Programme will receive GH¢2.1 billion to support the provision of meals for schoolchildren. The finance minister indicated that the funding would help children participate in learning without hunger becoming an obstacle to their education.
“We have also allocated GH¢2.1 billion to the School Feeding Programme to help children learn without hunger standing in their way,”
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson
The budget further provides GH¢40 million for the Social Protection Fund to strengthen assistance for vulnerable people in communities.
Funds target domestic violence and trafficking
The government has earmarked GH¢10 million for the Domestic Violence Fund and another GH¢10 million for the Child and Human Trafficking Fund.
Dr Forson outlined the two allocations as support for protection and response efforts. The provisions are intended to reinforce interventions for people affected by domestic violence and those exposed to child and human trafficking.
The allocations place targeted protection funds alongside the larger LEAP and School Feeding Programme commitments within the ministry’s GH¢3.4 billion budget. They also sustain services for vulnerable groups.
GH¢3.5bn for youth development and empowerment
Beyond the Gender Ministry’s allocation, Dr Forson announced GH¢3.5 billion for the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment.
The amount will be distributed across four areas. Government has earmarked GH¢2 billion for youth employment and skills development programmes, while GH¢1 billion will finance allowances for National Service personnel.
A further GH¢170 million has been allocated to the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme, with GH¢200 million set aside for the National Youth Authority.
The allocations cover employment support, skills development, national service allowances, entrepreneurship and youth-focused institutional activities. Dr Forson presented them as part of the government’s broader spending commitments for youth development in 2027.
Labour Ministry receives GH¢156m
The Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment will receive GH¢156 million to support its work on employment and labour issues.
Although the minister did not provide a detailed breakdown of the allocation, he identified the amount as part of the government’s budgetary support for the ministry.
The provision comes alongside the larger youth development allocation, which includes funding for employment and skills programmes. Together, the two allocations outline separate budget commitments for labour administration and youth-focused employment interventions.
Social protection and employment priorities
The 2027 Budget allocations set out funding for household assistance, school meals, protection services, youth employment and labour-related work. Within the GH¢3.4 billion assigned to the Gender Ministry, LEAP and school feeding account for the largest specified provisions, while the Social Protection Fund and the two protection funds receive additional support.
Dr Forson’s presentation also places youth development among the government’s major spending priorities, with GH¢3.5 billion assigned to the ministry responsible for the sector. The GH¢156 million provision for Labour, Jobs and Employment adds a further commitment to employment and labour issues.
The figures form part of the government’s proposed expenditure framework for 2027, as presented to Parliament under The New Economy budget. They outline the resources the government intends to direct towards vulnerable households, children, young people and services addressing social protection needs.
The allocations will support the programmes and institutions identified by the finance minister, with the budget setting out the government’s planned financial commitments for the coming year.
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