This followed complaints by beneficiaries that LEAP was not being implemented effectively at the district citing long distances they travelled to get to payment points, low amounts received, challenges accessing healthcare, and education.

In an assessment, beneficiaries scored the LEAP implementation at the district 64.14 per cent based on seven broad indicators including selection criteria of beneficiaries, payment points, amount received, access to health, and education.

Mr Abdellah, who was speaking at a forum organised at Mion by NORSAAC, a non-governmental organisation, and attended by community advocacy groups and District LEAP Implementation Committee (DLIC) members, said the structures being put in place would help improve the implementation of the programme.

The forum formed part of the implementation of the Grassroot Rising for Enhanced LEAP (GREL) project aimed at ensuring increased joint monitoring and feedback between the government and beneficiaries of LEAP in the district.

GREL is a year’s project being implemented by NORSAAC with funding from Christian Aid, and it seeks to advocate citizens’ monitoring of the implementation of the LEAP programme in all the 21 beneficiary communities in the district to ensure efficiency and success.

Mr Abdellah said DLIC did function as it ought to adding efforts were being made to make it functional to help improve on the implementation of the LEAP programme at the district.

Ms Kawusada Abubakari, Gender and Governance Manager of NORSAAC said her organisation would engage national and regional authorities on challenges facing the implementation of LEAP at the district and exit strategies for beneficiaries to help improve the programme.