By Chris Udochukwu
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti has hinted that his government is collaborating with the European Union (EU), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and United Nation International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) with the view to building a sustainable social protection system through a reliable social register.
This, Otti said, would help to tackle poverty and assist people within the vulnerable group as well as provide technical assistance to ensure that our social register captures accurate demographic data which is crucial for effective policy implementation.
The Governor who disclosed this in a statement released via his X account, thanked the EU and its partners for considering Abia as one of the states to benefit from this initiative.
According to the Abia Governor, ” We understand the challenges of data integrity. With a poverty rate of approximately 33% affecting over 5 million people, precise information is required for proper planning. Our efforts, since assumption of office, have been geared towards ensuring that we reduce poverty”.
He therefore commended the European Union and its partners for this collaboration and promised that the Abia State Government will give them the necessary support and legal framework to drive the process.
Precise Post recalls that those present at the event were; First Lady, Her Excellency, Mrs Priscilla C. Otti, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Blessing Felix, senior government officials, Ms Chioma Osuji (EU), Mrs Chinyere Emeka-Anuma (ILO), Mr Segun Tekun (UNICEF) and other members of their delegation.
The statement reads in full;
We hosted a delegation comprising representatives from the European Union (EU), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and UNICEF. The absence of a structured social protection policy in Abia was at the instance of the meeting. The aim was to assist the state government in building a sustainable social protection system through a reliable social register. This would help tackle poverty and assist people within the vulnerable group. They also seek to understand our broad plan for social protection and align their efforts accordingly.
This collaborative effort will provide technical assistance to ensure that our social register captures accurate demographic data. This precision is crucial for effective policy implementation.
We want to thank the EU and its partners for considering Abia as one of the states to benefit from this initiative. We understand the challenges of data integrity. With a poverty rate of approximately 33% affecting over 5 million people, precise information is required for proper planning.
Our efforts, since assumption of office, have been geared towards ensuring that we reduce poverty. We commended the European Union and its partners for this collaboration and promised that the Abia State Government will give them the necessary support and legal framework to drive the process.
I was joined by the First Lady, Her Excellency, Mrs Priscilla C. Otti, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Blessing Felix, senior government officials, Ms Chioma Osuji (EU), Mrs Chinyere Emeka-Anuma (ILO), Mr Segun Tekun (UNICEF) and other members of their delegation.
