Margaret Ene-Ita, Commissioner for Social Welfare and Community Development, Cross River State, 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, which held at Danic Hotel Calabar.
According to her, stakeholders are acquainted with the 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 ensuring 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 organisations provide essential services to the people of our dear state,” the commissioner said.
The programme is in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and Cross River State has developed a Social Protection Policy modelled after the Federal Government’s Social Protection Framework.
The policy document has been launched and disseminated to members of the public. It has therefore become relevant that stakeholders are acquainted with the 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 her goodwil message, Helen Isamoh Egodo, Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, stated that the theme of the 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, emphasising the importance of deploying techniques for advocacy and resource mobilization.
“This workshop implies a significant step forward 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 expertise and perspectives, it is through such collaborative efforts that we can ensure a more inclusive and just society for our citizens,” she said.
