Edo partners stakeholders to end poverty through social protection policy

• We’re in govt to change Edo politics, says Obaseki

Edo State Government has disclosed that efforts have been intensified to improve livelihoods of citizens and stem poverty by rallying relevant stakeholders to collaborate towards achieving set goals.

To this end, the government hosted stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations, traditional, religious and community leaders, women and youth groups, as well as civil society organisations, among others, to commence the process of developing a social protection policy for the state.

The town hall meeting in Benin City, was held in partnership with Save the Children Nigeria, Child Development Grant Programme (CDGP) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Speaking at the event, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, SSG’s Office, Deborah Enakhimion, said the engagement was organised to draw up a blueprint on the social protection policy for the state.

She noted that social delivery was paramount to Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration, as it would help to improve the lives of citizens, particularly women and children.

Also, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Iserhienrhien Efe, said the Obaseki-led administration was doing much to eradicate poverty in the state.

On her part, the focal person, Edo State Social Investment Programme, Osayuwamen Aladeselu, said: “The meeting was imperative as it will enable the government to develop a legal framework to support the poor at a point in time.”

She further explained that the event was aimed at ensure that stakeholders contribute to the development of the policy document.

BESIDES, Obaseki said his involvement in politics was God’s divine arrangement to help drive the process of change in Edo politics.

Obaseki, who spoke to journalists in Benin City, said the last seven months of his second term had been spent on separating governance from politics and re-strategising to ensure that the state worked better for the people.

The governor said his administration had continued to pursue reforms and policies to better the lives of Edo people, and was recording significant progress across all sectors of the state, especially in revenue generation.

“In the last seven months, in trying to reform the system, we discovered that government lacked professionals in the civil service to set the government on motion before political appointees will step in to collaborate in making Edo great again.

“I am into politics to midwife the process of change, as change is a constant thing in life. We can’t do politics the way we did it in 1999,” he stated.