ANCSDA Commences Distribution of Work Tools And Kits to 1,755 Beneficiaries

By Olisemeka Sony

The Anambra State Community and Social Development Agency (ANCSDA) has commenced distribution of work tools & kits to Labour-intensive Public Workfare (LIPW) beneficiaries.

The LIPW is a component of the Anambra COVID-19 Action Recovery & Economic Stimulus (AN-CARES) Programme being implemented by the State government in partnership with the World Bank.

According to a statement by the Information and Communication Officer, ANCSDA, Mr Nnamdi Onuzulike, the Objective of AN-CARES Programme is to expand access to livelihood support and food security services, and grants for poor and vulnerable households and firms in Anambra State.

In his welcome address , the General Manager/CEO, ANCSDA, Mr Chudi Mojekwu, said LIPW is a programme intended to provide temporary employment opportunities to unskilled, unemployed, vulnerable persons with littlev education and who were heavily affected by COVID-19 pandemic. He said the Agency is to provide support to the beneficiaries while they in turn provide support to their Communities by way of some social services delivery.

Mojekwu informed that already 1,755 beneficiaries have been enrolled, fully deployed, and working in some 175 sites across the 21 LGAs in the State under the LIPW. He continued that the reports being received by the Agency from those work sites were very encouraging . Young men and women are cutting overgrown grasses, clearing the drains, controlling traffic congestions on roads, cleaning public of halls, markets, hospitals, schools etc. which according to him key into the transformational agenda of the Gov. Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, in terms of cleaner, greener, liveable, and prosperous homeland that he’s determined to give to ndi Anambra.

On his part, the National President ASATU, Barr. Titus Akpudo, said LIPW is a well thought out programme by the Govt. and World Bank, and that it holds a great prospect in empowering the poor, vulnerable and unemployed youths in the communities. It’s also enough evidence that the Soludo administration is people-oriented and focused. He promised that ASATU as the only body that binds all Town Unions across the State will support the LIPW, stating that the decision to involve ASATU in this initiative will ensure that the project succeeds in the communities.

The State Chairman Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD), Comrade Ugochukwu Okeke, represented by Comrade Shedrack Nwafor, remarked that the Disability Community have been actively involved in the AN-CARES Programme across its various components in the State, and extended their great thanks to the State government.

In her Special remarks at the Flag-off occasion, the Hon. Commissioner MEPB & DP Mrs Chiamaka Nnake, speaking on-behalf of the State Governor said the LIPW is focused on our unskilled, unemployed and little educated persons aged between 18yrs and 45yrs affected by COVID-19 pandemic with the whole aim being to engage them in Productive Social Services in their various Communities of origin/residence while in return, the government pay them monthly stipend for a period of two years. Mrs Nnake stressed that LIPW is in line with Mr. Governor’s Transformational Social Agenda, a key segment of which is creation of jobs, jobs and jobs for our youths. According to her, LIPW is expected to support the creation of clean, green, planned and sustainable cities, communities and markets as part of the liveable and prosperous homeland envisioned in the Soludo Solution.
The Hon. Commissioner informed that about Seventy Million naira (=N=70m) has been set aside for the payment of monthly stipends to the beneficiaries and assured that all necessary funding support will be provided to ensure the sustainability of this Productive Social Protection activity.

The event which took place on Thursday in Amawbia, Awka South LGA, had many dignatories and stakeholders of the project in attendance including the Hon. Commissioner Ministry of Economic Planning Budget & Development Partners (MEPB & DP), Mrs Chiamaka Nnake, Head State CARES Coordinating Unit (SCCU)Mrs Ogochukwu Orji, National President Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) Barr. Titus N. Akpudo, State Chairman Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD), Comrade Ugochukwu Okeke represented by Comrade Shedrack Nwafor, the Town Unions Presidents- Generals and LIPW Site Supervisors of all the participating communities , Management and Staff of ANCSDA etc.