Lifting many out of poverty the Cross River way

Increasing poverty occasioned by the grim reality of rising unemployment is a major socioeconomic challenge facing the nation.

Several past efforts in the country to lift many out of poverty have often been politicized; an unwholesome phenomenon said to hold grave danger to the speedy attainment of
national peace and social stability critical for sustainable development and advancement of national unity and aspirations.

In Cross River State, efforts aimed at breaking the circle of poverty have been relentless pursued and sustained by the administration of Senator Liyel Imoke. Indeed, for Imoke, Cross River is as weak as the weakest person in the state. Therefore, it is his belief that government should be there for those who need government the most.

To take care of these people, who are the most vulnerable in the society, his administration introduced two social safety nets, Project Hope and Project Comfort. Project Comfort is a conditional cash transfer to very poor households in the state. And so recently under the programme, Governor Imoke empowered 5880 households selected as beneficiaries across the 196 political wards of the state with working tools and cash to enable them establish businesses and enterprises in wide range of vocational fields.

The ceremony was part of mobilization for the Batch One trainable adults and graduates of the conditional cash transfer programme also called.
During the ceremony, Imoke explained that the conditional cash transfer as a social safety net programme pays five thousand naira basic support to identified core poor households on bi-monthly basis, while the poverty reduction investment component provides a lump sum for the floating of small scale enterprises, whilst also ensuring that their children remain in school.

This initiative has a long term objective of reducing significantly, the number of chronic poor and venerable households and individuals across the state. Senator Imoke averred that more can be done to positively impact on the handicapped and variously challenged members of society by privileged institutions and individuals.

He stressed that the gesture was meant to remove them from want to plenty for their families and ensure others equally benefit from the benevolence. He said his administration will continue to build on the success of the programme until the weakest of its citizens is made strong.

The trainable adults and graduates were in the past 6 months to one year exposed to rigorous training sessions by certified master trainers to acquire vocational skills In areas such as computer appreciation, fashion designing, hats and beads making, interior decoration, and electrical installation, auto electrical
and mechanic, GSM repairs, photography as well as vulcanizing, carpentry, barbing/hairdressing, welding, aluminum fabrication, and catering, plumbing, construction and building, tiling and pillar designing. Some of the beneficiaries could not hold back tears as they were presented with working tools and cash meant to launch them into financial independence.

Christopher Ekanem, Janet Asuquo, and Obo Ani, all of them beneficiaries of the programme, were full of gratitude to the Governor and his administration. They promised to uphold the vision of the programme by setting up small scale industries that will help reduce unemployment in the state.  For a man with an unwavering commitment to take government to the grassroots where it is most needed;Imoke believes in service as not only being sacrosanct, but a rare privilege to be exercised with utmost humility.

The poverty reduction and jobs creation project of the Cross River State government occupies top position in its development policy objectives. To underscore the importance the state attaches to this commitment, a full-fledged ministry of social welfare was setup to specifically focus on the welfare needs of ordinary Cross Riverians.