Mr Robert Austin, the National Coordinator of the Ghana Social Opportunities Project (GSOP), who disclosed this at separate  meetings organised by thirteen Municipal and District Assemblies in the Upper East Region, said the programmes which had already begun in the Upper West Region was aimed at improving the lot of the extremely poor in the society.

He said the exercise would kick start fully in 2017 in the Northern and Upper East Regions, targeting   approximately 495,000 households. He said the phase three aspect of the project, which would comprise the coverage of the other regions next year, was expected to target about 4,861,000 households.

Some of the objectives of the project is to establish a Single National Household Registry, facilitate the linkage of the Registration of all the Social Protection programmes and to also serve as a resource base for policy analysts and researchers, he said.

The GNHR when completed would serve as an instrument for proper planning and programmes of the assemblies and other development partners. Mr Austin impressed upon the district chiefs executives, the assembly members, traditional and religious leaders to support the implementation of the project. 

 He urged the assemblies to help ensure the success of the project by providing accommodation for registration officers from distant communities as well as help in the recruitment of enumerators.

 “You could also help by watching over the registration process in the district and electoral areas and draw the attention of GNHR officials to any problem identified”, Mr Austin said.