Akwa Ibom Partners FG, World Bank on Poverty Alleviation 

*1,560 benefits from LIPW (AK-CARES) programme

Akwa Ibom State Government in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria and the World Bank has flagged-off the disbursement of stipends to beneficiaries of the Labour Intensive Public Workfare (LIPW) Programme in the State.

The event held Wednesday at the Women Development Centre, IBB Way, Uyo is coordinated by the State Ministry of Economic Development and domiciled in the Akwa Ibom State Roads and Other Infrastructure Maintenance Agency (AKROIMA).

Speaking at the event, the State Governor, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, represented by the Commissioner for Economic Development, Mr. Emem Bob said the programme seeks to urgently cushion and ameliorate the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on poor and vulnerable households.

Governor Emmanuel who assured of his administration’s commitment to achieving the goals and objectives of the programme, urged beneficiaries of to reciprocate the good gesture by making sure that they kept to the demands of the workfare as well as making the best use of the support to improve their well-being and the livelihood of their households.

While appreciating Governor Emmanuel for the partnership with the Federal Government and the World Bank to alleviate the sufferings of households and empowering vulnerables in the State through the implementation of the programme, the Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Roads and Other Infrastructure Maintenance Agency (AKROIMA), Prince Godwin Ntuk Udeh charged the beneficiaries not to hesitate in delivering on the expectations of the state government and other sponsors of the programme.

Prince Udeh, who doubles as the Policy Head of the Labour Intensive Public Workfare (LIPW) platform of the AK-CARES said the programme accommodates 1,560 beneficiaries, whose sources of income and jobs were affected as a result of the constraints caused by the dreaded COVID-19 Pandemic from the 31 local government areas in the State.

The Technical Head of the State CARES Coordinating Unit, Mrs. Enobong Okpongkpong in reviewing the programme, had said the AK-CARES Labour Intensive Public Workfare (LIPW) component captures people between the age of 18 and 45 with educational qualification not more than Secondary Education Certificate.

Mrs. Enobong Okpongkpong advised the beneficiaries to see the workfare enrollment as a means to uplift themselves by making good use of the opportunity, especially in keeping to the objective of the Programme.

In their separate goodwill messages, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Development, Mr. Effiong Ekpeyong and representative of Payment Service Provider, Nsikan Netina thanked the donors of the programme and described the programme as people-centric. They admonished the beneficiaries not to misuse the gesture.

Welcoming dignitaries and other attendees at the event, the Technical Head of the Labour Intensive Public Workfare, Mrs. Augusta Bassey said, works assigned to the beneficiaries included, sweeping of community markets, health centres, roads as well as village council squares within their domains.

A beneficiary, Jesus Abasi Iwang, who spoke on behalf of other beneficiaries thanked the State Governor, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel for partnering and approving the implementation of the programme, which he said would better their lots.