FG to Partner A’Ibom, CSO on Child Labour, ODF, WASH

Okon Bassey in Uyo

The federal government would collaborate with the Akwa Ibom State Government and Civil Society Organisation (CSO) on the fight against child labour, Open Defecation Free (ODF) as well as Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) reforms.

The State Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Mr. Ini Ememobong, disclosed this during an advocacy visits by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment as well as the African Centre for Human Development.

Receiving the delegation from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment that was led by the State Controller, Mrs. Sunshine Udeme, Ememobong said that the information management and dissemination is very strategic in critical campaigns, such as the sensitive issues of child labour that he described as a societal monster.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Akparawa James Edet, the commissioner said the state is very opened to establishing working relationships that have valuable benefits to the people.

“You are here as a door opener for vital information dissemination and interface on fighting this ill that has eaten into the fabric of the Society. Your visit will serve as a good avenue to interface and share ideas,” the commissioner stated.

He said that the collaboration would aid in proper information and data gathering on child labour and ensure accurate information and proper representation of what is tenable in the state vis-a-vis child labour.

He stressed that the child labour should be considered as one of the worst crimes in the world, saying that the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, is very committed to issues of child’s development hence the domestication of the Child’s Right Law in the state.

The State Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs. Sunshine Udeme, had said that the ministry is interested to work with the state government on the campaign of child labour.

In another development, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy said that the state government would collaborate with the Civil Society Organisation (CSO), the African Centre for Human Development in the quest to ensure the people of the state have adequate portable water supply and are adaptable to Open Defecation Free (ODF) through the Ibom WASH+ Policy reforms.

Ememobong commended the Project Director and CEO of the African Centre for Human Development, Professor Gabriel Umoh, for the coalition of six CSOs to advocate for the development and approval of gender-sensitive and inclusive WASH Policy for Akwa Ibom State.

He lauded the project strategy, which is to support governance reforms, sector leadership and capacity development and expressed the readiness of the ministry to partner the body towards the improvement of the living standards of the people of the state.

The project director explained that the delegation was in the ministry on advocacy visit to seek partnership with the ministry towards the approval of WASH Policy by government and listed areas desiring attention to include: awareness on ODF; sensitisation on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH reforms and poor budgetary provisions for WASH activities among others.