GOV. ENO USHERS IN A NEW CHAPTER FOR SOCIAL WELFARE: LG CHAIRMEN RALLY FOR STATE SOCIAL REGISTER UPDATE
In a pivotal move towards enhancing social welfare initiatives, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno has approved the validation and update of the State Social Register. In order to ensure that this exercise is carried out effectively, the Honourable Commissioner for Economic Development, Mr. Emem Bob, recently held a crucial meeting with Local Government Chairmen in the State, at the conference room of the Ministry of Economic Development.
The State Social Register (SSR) is a credible, transparent, reliable and internationally accepted register of the Poor and Vulnerable Households (PVHHs) in the State, which compilation started in 2018. This compilation is the exclusive mandate of the State Operation Coordinating Unit (SOCU), domiciled in the Ministry of Economic Development.
Addressing the assembly, Mr. Bob expressed gratitude to the Chairmen for their attendance, emphasizing that the meeting was a response to the Governor’s directive to engage with LGAs on the validation and update of the State Social Register.
A comprehensive presentation was made to the Chairmen showing: the targeting mechanism approach used to identify poor & vulnerable household (PVHHS); the total number captured in the register currently (440,288 Households and 1,958,805 individuals); the distribution according to LG, age, educational qualification, etc.; the various local and donor intervention programmes that have utilized this repository in carrying out their activities; etc.
The Chairmen were tasked to collaborate with the Ministry of Economic Development and other stakeholders to ensure the effective validation and update of the Social Register. The objective is to include those who were previously not captured, but rightfully belong to the social welfare system, while removing names that should no longer be in the register.
A noteworthy resolution emerged from the meeting—the organization of a capacity building workshop for desk officers across all the LGAs. This workshop aims to equip these officers with the necessary skills for the forthcoming validation and update exercise.
At its core, the purpose of this initiative is to advocate for the interests of grassroots communities, particularly the impoverished and vulnerable. By reviewing the State Social Register, the government aims to better address the needs of the poor and vulnerable, for support and improvement of their livelihood.
Information Unit
Ministry of Economic Development
