Reducing poverty among youth with Labour Intensive Public Work (LIPW) programme: Evidence from the Daffiama Bussie Issah District in Ghana

Abstract


 Background: In 2010, the Government of Ghana launched a Labour Intensive Public Work (LIPW) programme through the Ghana Social Opportunities Project (GSOP). It earmarked $56 million for the execution of the programme in 60 relatively poor districts in Ghana. The programme is directed to offer jobs and income earning opportunities to some identified rural poor, especially the youth, during the seasonal labour demand shortfalls through the rehabilitation and maintenance of public or community infrastructure like roads and dams.
 Objectives: The article aim to investigate the extent to which the programme has reduce poverty among the youth with the Daffiam Bussie Issah District in Ghana as a case study.
 Method: A mixed research method involving both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed in the study. The matched case-control study design was adopted. Ninety (90) beneficiary youth in three (3) beneficiary communities of the LIPW programme were compared with ninety (90) youth in three other non-beneficiary communities in the same district. Focus group sessions were also held with beneficiary youth of the programme to understand how the programme has impacted on their lives.
 Results: The study revealed that beneficiary youth of the LIPW programme were able to increase their livestock holding by 71.4%, monthly income by 24.4%, food consumption by 25.9% and farm sizes by 41.6%.
 Conclusion: The study recommended that the government of Ghana should scare up the LIPW programme to cover more communities in order to reduce poverty in Ghana