By Ese Obote-Ogwu
Delta State Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Sonny Ekedayen, has re-affirmed the state government’s dedication to fostering a more inclusive and resilient society, ensuring citizens have access to necessary resources and support, especially among the vulnerable.
Ekedayen made the affirmation at the Delta State social protection dialogue held at BON hotel in Asaba with the theme accelerating inclusive social protection Delta state-building stronger systems for poverty reduction and resilience.
“Under the visionary leadership of our Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Delta State has witnessed significant advancements in the implementation of social protection initiatives, which are carefully designed to address the pressing issues of poverty and vulnerability among its citizens, thereby ensuring a more equitable and just society for all.”
The Economic Planning commissioner revealed that D-CARES, a World Bank-supported initiative, has positively impacted over 247,000 residents through direct cash transfers, livelihood support, and other programs, even reaching remote areas of the state.
Supporting the vulnerable in society, the state government has launched the widows’ welfare scheme, providing a monthly stipend of 15,000 naira to 10,000 widows and enrolling them into the Delta State contributory health scheme.
Other initiatives include the MORE grant scheme, which has empowered 5,426 petty traders and small business owners, and the Women Empowerment and Skill Acquisition program, (WESAP) which has trained and supported women in practical skills, mental health education, and entrepreneurship.
Notably, the Working Fingers Initiative has empowered 2000 women state-wide through training and support. Furthermore, our Job and Wealth Creation Bureau has provided funding and business support packages to MSMEs under the BIZUP programme.
Ekedayen encouraged everyone to actively participate in the discussion, sharing their expertise and experience to bolster our collective efforts.
Rev. David Ugolor, Executive Director of the African Network for Environmental and Economic Justice, (ANEEJ) outlined the objectives of the dialogue, which included reviewing the current state protection interventions in Delta State, unveiling key findings from the Act Naija project baseline study, and strengthening collaboration between government, civil society, and communities for more inclusive and transparent social protection.
Ugolor emphasized the importance of this dialogue, highlighting social protection’s critical role in reducing poverty, addressing inequality, and strengthening resilience among vulnerable populations.
