CSOs applaud Social Protection Bill

… calls for swift presidential assent

By Prince ASUMAH

Civil society organisations, under the Partnership for Social Accountability in Social Protection, have commended Parliament and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection for the successful passage of the Social Protection (SP) Bill, 2025.

In a public statement, the group described the bill’s passage as a major milestone in protecting the country’s most vulnerable citizens and promoting social justice.

The bill provides a legal framework for Ghana’s social protection system and establishes a Social Protection Fund to ensure reliable and sustained financing for key programmes such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), the Ghana School Feeding Programme, Capitation Grants for basic education, and healthcare exemptions under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

According to the group, social protection programmes have often suffered from funding delays, leaving poor households without LEAP stipends, school children without meals and many vulnerable people without access to healthcare or education. The dedicated fund proposed by the bill is expected to address these challenges and provide more timely support, especially during crises and emergencies.

The organisation further urged President John Dramani Mahama to expedite assent to the bill, saying: “We hope the President will sign the bill into law quickly and ensure its full implementation for the benefit of all Ghanaians”.

The Social Protection Bill has been widely backed by civil society as a necessary legal foundation to guarantee long-term, rights-based support for millions of Ghanaians who depend on state interventions for survival and development.

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