Accra: Parliament on Thursday passed the Social Protection Bill into law, aiming to streamline social services and mobilize resources to support vulnerable groups within society. The legislation is designed to provide legal backing to the institutional framework for social protection programs targeting specific groups, including children, women, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
According to Ghana News Agency, Madam Helen Adjoa Ntoso, Chairperson of the Parliament's Gender and Social Protection Committee, presented the report at the plenary. She stated that the legislation would enhance the capacity of the sector Ministry to deliver emergency services to vulnerable populations in the country. The bill aligns with article 106 (6) of the 1992 Constitution.
Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, emphasized that the legislation would assist the Ministry in accurately identifying and targeting individuals who need support under the Livelihoods Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program. Additionally, it mandates public institutions to ensure that persons with disabilities have unobstructed access to public facilities, as outlined in the Persons with Disability Act, (Act 715) promulgated in 2006.
