Paper short abstract:

The paper ascertains the impact of the state-led Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty cash transfer program and conditionality requirements on state-citizen relations in Ghana using qualitative/ethnographic methodologies.

Paper long abstract:

The Beneficiary Contract: Exploring State-Citizen relations in the context of the LEAP Cash Transfer Program in Ghana

Author:

Afia Achiaa Adaboh

Brandeis University, United States

The Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program is Ghana's flagship social protection initiative. This cash transfer program is aimed at mitigating extreme poverty and growing inequality in the country. LEAP provides bi-monthly stipends to orphaned or vulnerable children, the disabled, elderly, and vulnerable pregnant or lactating mothers. For aged and disabled beneficiaries, LEAP is unconditional. The remaining beneficiary categories are tasked with co-responsibilities.

This study explores the complex interplay of state citizen relations in the implementation of the LEAP cash transfer program. The study assesses whether the imposition of co-responsibilities as an implementation feature of the LEAP has any impacts on program objectives school participation health seeking behavior and consumption. This study utilizes primary data collected in the Ga-East District of Ghana to investigate it's aims. Government of Ghana policy makers, LEAP officials, LEAP recipients and comparable non-recipients are interviewed to provide insights on program successes and weaknesses.

The imposition of conditionalities as a design feature of cash transfers can potentially improve state-citizen relations. This study finds that due to uneven implementation, there is a lack of awareness of LEAP conditionalities. Perceptions of LEAP transfers as gifts and the lack of clear structures for providing feedback about the program hinders the ability of respondents to hold the state accountable for effective implementation of the LEAP program thus weakening state-citizen relations.