Adamawa Govt set to Eradicate Child Poverty- Perm Sec, Piribu

From: Ajiya Ayuba, Bauchi

The Adamawa State government led by governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri at the weekend said it has taken a bold step towards eradicating child poverty in the State.

Mr Amos Enoch Piribu who is the state permanent secretary Adamawa state planning commission, made this known during in a media dialogue on child poverty which took place at the Evolution hotel, Tumfure, Gombe state.

The media dialogue on child poverty was organized by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Bauchi Field Office which comprises; Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Plateau states.

He said that the state government’s social register, currently has about 347,723 poor and vulnerable households across 226 wards of the state, and 6000 more household from local government areas with low children school enrollment are to be added to the register.

Piribu noted further that 64000 households who are under the government’s conditional cash transfers have received 10000-naira stipends bimonthly. While those under NASSCO (national social safety net coordination office) and those under the NG Cares program, a total of 1950 individuals have received 10000 naira monthly in 2023.

He said that 4200 individuals are receiving 10,000 naira monthly under the NG cares labour-intensive public works program.

The permanent secretary, Piribu said that the state has launched several policies to serve as guide to the various MDAs where programs aimed at mitigating the effect of multidimensional child poverty are domiciled, and these includes; social protection policy, child situation report, child protection law, state social register and medium term sector strategy from 2023-2025.

He added that children in Adamawa state have access to free and compulsory basic education, also registration for WAEC and NECO is free for students in public schools in Adamawa state.

Piribu said that six new cottage hospital have been built to increase access to secondary health care service to the citizens.

He said that the state health insurance scheme has been launched and it will further increase access of the poor and vulnerable households to safe, affordable and qualitative health care services.

He further states that 10,000 micro business in the state recently have benefited from grant of 50,000 naira each to further boast their activities.