Cross River State Commissioner for Social Welfare and Community Development, Margaret Ene-Ita, has disclosed that the administration of Governor Bassey Otu is taking deliberate steps to meet the needs of the poorest of the poor in the state.
The Commissioner made the remarks at a two-day Capacity Strengthening for CSO and CBOs on the Cross River State Social Protection Policy held at Danic Hotel Calabar.
According to Ene-Ita, “Stakeholders are acquainted with this policy. As we all know, the People’s First Agenda of the Governor is aimed at taking governance to those who need it most and this is what social protection is about.
“The government of the day is poised to ensure that “no one is left behind” and so we are taking deliberate steps to meet the needs of the poorest of the poor who live in our cities, towns, villages, communities and hamlets.
“We are aware that there is civil society presence even in places where there are no government establishments and we are also aware that these organizations provide essential services to the people of our dear state even in.”
The programme, which is in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Cross River State, has developed a Social Protection Policy modelled after the Federal Government’s Social Protection Framework.
“This policy document has been launched and disseminated to members of the public. It has therefore become relevant that stakeholders are acquainted with this policy. As we all know, the People’s First Agenda of the Governor is aimed at taking governance to those who need it most and this is what social protection is about.”
The government of the day is poised to ensure that “no one is left behind” and so we are taking deliberate steps to meet the needs of the poorest of the poor who live in our cities, towns, villages, communities and hamlets.
“Stakeholders are acquainted with this policy. As we all know, the People’s First Agenda of the Governor is aimed at taking governance to those who need it most and this is what social protection is about.”
In a goodwill message by the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Helen Isamoh Egodo, she stated that the theme of this workshop; “Public Finance Management Legislative Advocacy and Resource Mobilization for Effective Social Protection Programming in CRS” is quite apt as it underscores the need for all stakeholders to be committed to the implementation of Social Protection Programmes, emphasizing the importance of deploying techniques for advocacy and resource mobilization for the same.
“This workshop implies a significant step forward in a collective mission to enhance the capacity of a CSO’s, CBO’s, NGOs and individuals in areas as crucial as this, bearing in mind the fact that social protection is a vehicle to improve social justice, reduce social economic disparities among citizens in the states, reduce extreme poverty among the most deprived, empower the most vulnerable to reduce multidimensional poverty and the impact of economic shocks, provide social welfare and improve security/nutrition, ensure that citizens have access to, and utilize basic social services and infrastructures.
“As the commissioner for humanitarian affairs, I am delighted to witness this convergence of diverse expertise and perspectives, it is through such collaborative efforts that we can ensure a more inclusive and just society for our citizens.”
