ANCSDA holds orientation, enrollment of labour-intensive public workfare

ANAMBRA State Community and Social Development Agency (ANCSDA), Wednesday, formally kicked-off the orientation and enrollment of Labour-Intensive Public Workfare (LIPW) beneficiaries across the 21 local governments in the state under the Anambra State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (AN-CARES) Programme.

  The LIPW is one of the components of AN-CARES Programme being implemented in the state by ANCSDA.

  The programme is aimed at providing immediate employment opportunity in the social sector, to address the emergency constraints of loss of labour-income among the poor and vulnerable households as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  The event, held at  Abagana,  in Njikoka LGA attracted the Commissioner Economic Planning, Budget, and Development Partners (MEDP), Mrs Chiamaka Nnake,  ably represented by Mr Obidike Prince, Head State CARES Coordinating Unit (SCCU), Mrs Ogochukwu Orji, represented by Mrs Maureen Agbala, GM ANCSDA, Mr Chudi Mojekwu, Head LIPW ANCSDA, Mr Chimezie Ibedu, among others.

  In his opening remarks at the event, the GM, ANCSDA, Chudi Mojekwu, informed them that the criteria for selection of beneficiaries were unemployed youth and women selected from the State Social Register (SSR), whose age must be between 18 and 45years and with education qualification of SSCE or below.

  According to him,  part of the duties of LIPW beneficiaries is to diligently perform the assigned work at least four hours daily and five  days a week, work harmoniously with the leader and other members of the team to achieve the objective of the programme, to attend and actively participate in life skill trainings on designated days , among others.

  In her address on-behalf of the state government,  Commissioner, Economic Planning, Budget and Development Partners (MEDP), Chiamaka Nnake disclosed that the targets of LIPW in the state are unemployed and unskilled youths and women with education qualification of SSCE or below who according to her,  have lost labour-income owing to the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.

  She informed that the LIPW is very well in line with the transformation agenda of Governor Chukwuma Soludo. It is part of “Soludo Solution”, a solution that is fundamentally focused on creating a prosperous future for the youths, empowering them to function and be productive.

  The commissioner noted that since the primary needs of the youths are jobs, jobs and more jobs even if temporary, the Soludo administration is setting aside over N65,000,000 as initial grants to be transferred to deserving youths and women under the LIPW.

  In her vote of thanks on-behalf of the other beneficiaries, Mrs Evelyn Okeke, thanked the state government, the ministry and the agency for bringing the LIPW that would help to create jobs and better the condition of the youths and unemployed across the state, and pledged that they would ensure commitment to achieve the objective of LIPW in their different localities.