Adamawa State Governor Ahamdu Umaru Fintiri, has revealed that the 2024 United Nations survey indicated that 2.1 million people in Adamawa State are in need of social services.
This was in addition to the 218,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) seeking social services in the state, the Governor added.
According to the Governor, the UN staggering records was as a result of climate change and other pockets of conflict like the insurgency and other insecurity issues that bedevilled the state in the past.
Governor Ahmadu Fintiri who was represented by the State Commissioner RRR Hamman Bello Diram, made this known during the launching of Adamawa State Social Protection Policy held on Friday at Nyako Training Center Adamawa State Secretariat in Yola.
The Adamawa State Social Protection Policy and Costed Implementation Plan together with Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) is aimed at improving the livelihood, security and well-being of the citizens.
Governor Fintiri who launched the programme, revealed that the policy seeks to implement 24 measures in 8 key areas among which include: education, healthcare service delivery, poverty alleviation, security, agriculture, skill acquisition among others.
According to Fintiri, lack of access to these social services culminated to a social challenge which the Government day in day out is working to overcome.
He pointed out that removal of fuel subsidy has profoundly impacted on low income families including their ability to procure food and other necessities.
“The key message to this social protection policy in Adamawa State aims to reduced the scourge of poverty and improve the general well-being of all Nigerians through deliberate intervention aimed at addressing economic and social inequality through the provision of social services”
Fintiri further added that the social protection policy aligned with the state development plan of 2020/2025 and the five objectives of global sustainable development goals which are directly related to social protection.
He maintained that by domestication of this policy Adamawa State is displaying its commitment to combating vulnerability and poverty among residents.
He said that the development has complemented the ongoing state poverty alleviation programme aimed at enhancing the livelihood of vulnerable residents.
The Governor revealed that his administration has supported over 35,000 small scale business owners through provision of grants to improve their businesses and over 5000 youths currently receiving vacational and life skills training in 10 upgraded skill acquisition centers across the state.
According to Governor Fintiri, similar poverty alleviation programmes are currently operational in key sectors such as agriculture.
He emphasized that Adamawa State Government is committed to coordinating the social protection policy through the existing Government mechanism at the State and LGAs levels through join planning and implemention process.
“We appreciated the contribution of UNICEF and this is also to reiterate the commitment of Government to implement and operationalize the social protection policy”.
Earlier in her remarks, the Executive Chairman, Adamawa State Planning Commission Dr. Mary Paninga, said that the policy document planning started 6 months ago and with the support and sponsorship of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, the HoS, UNICEF and the technical working group today, the programme is a reality.
She revealed that the document is a product of painstaking approach, time taking and resources put in to ensure successful launch of the policy document for the benefit of the citizens who constituted the targeted beneficiaries.
According to Dr. Paninga, the document marks foundation laying for social protection in the State designed to drive and improve on the social protection of Adamawa State citizens.
While calling on citizens of the state to embrace the policy she urged all arms of organizations responsible for the implementation of the policy to put hands on deck so as to come up with results.
In his remarks the Director General Poverty Alleviation and Wealth Creation Agency (PAWECA) Michael Zira, revealed that PAWECA is directly involved in the policy having been crafted by Government to address poverty and provide skills to make the common man self-reliant.
He said that the Adamawa State Government has demonstrated this by empowering thousands of women and youths with grants to support their business and as well teaching them basic business skills.
He revealed that PAWECA is ready to partner any serious organization or Government agency willing to assist in addressing poverty and improve well-being of the masses.
In his welcome address the Permanent Secretary Planning Commission Hassan Modibbo, revealed that the policy document aligned with the Adamawa State’s broader development goals, contributing to poverty reduction, economic empowerment and the overall social stability of communities.
According to him, by addressing the root cause of poverty and vulnerability, this policy will work to create a basis upon which citizens can build brighter future.
