Project Description
Ghana Social Opportunity Project (GSOP) is a Labour Intensive Public Works (LIPW) under the Social Protection Public Works programs which has been instituted to provide employment and income earning opportunities to rural poor and underprivileged. Under the LIPW, the poor are enrolled to carry out works manually on essential community infrastructure and are paid wages for their labour. The LIPW project currently covers 60 districts nationwide and is mostly located in rural areas.
The partnership with GSOP to introduce the electronic payment (e-zwich) to LIPW beneficiaries commenced in 2014 in Nabdam district with two (2) subprojects in the Upper East Region in a pilot phase. After the successful completion of the pilot exercise, 60 districts were introduced to the electronic payment platform (e-zwich) from 2015 to date. Funds transfers were via the e-zwich platform (PDS) to over Two Hundred (200) subprojects across the country.
A total of Thirty-One (31) Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) and its branches were identified and assigned to district (s) to provide e-zwich services to the beneficiaries in their subprojects. The Participating Financial Institutions are made up of; 28 Rural and Communities Banks/ 1Commercial Bank and 2Savings and Loans.
The introduction of the electronic payment to LIPW has promoted the following:
- Timely in payment/ transfers of funds to LIPW
- Beneficiaries have been exposed to banking services especially savings habits
- Reconciliation made easier
Services Provided by GHIPSS
- Training on e-zwich for FIs (RESCI & POS)
- Support for the enrolment & cash out services
- Payment Distribution Services (Disbursement of funds onto beneficiaries cards)
- Monthly Status Report
- Support to RCOs and FIs
Find Link to the success story of LIPW and e-zwich: https://www.youtube.com/embed/XMVFUcf84dU