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Local Government Chairmen are obstacle to SIP success in Plateau
State - Chairman Facilitators.
By Joseph A. Adudu
January 21, 2020.
Local
Government Chairmen in Plateau State are alleged to be the main obstacle toward
the success of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), a component of the Social
Investment Programme (SIP) and an initiative of the Federal Government aimed at
boosting productivity, especially amongst the marginalized and the vulnerable
including women.
This was revealed
today by the Chairman of Local Government Coordinators, Jangkam Z. Miri who is
also the Desk Officer of SIP Langtang North. Speaking to African Drum in Jos after a two day
training workshop for facilitators on Hard Co-Responsibility Activities, Miri
expressed disappointment over the lukewarm attitude and inadequate attention of
Council Chairmen given to the scheme.
"The truth
of the matter is that the synergy with the Local Government Chairmen has not
been smooth. The Chairmen need sensitization on the programme because it's like
they are not well informed about it", he said.
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| Lydia Salda |
He said that the
Co-Responsibity activity is a component of the CCT stressing that it is one of
the added activity by the Federal Government which Plateau selected health
activity out of others like Education, Environment and Nutrition. Miri said
that Plateau state Government chose health as its area of Co responsibility implies that poor and Vulnerable Households
with pregnant women, lactating mothers and children 0-5 years enjoy a top of
additional #5,000 in addition to the basic cash transfer for CCT beneficiaries.
He further emphasized that the component is subdivided into two ( Soft and Hard
components). Miri said that the beneficiaries of the soft components have
already been trained on how to keep their homes and environments clean as well
as how to utilize farm produce within their environments to improve their diets
and wellbeing.
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| Jangkam Miri |
The Chairman of
SIP Facilitators further hinted that the 2 day training programme which ended
today was for the facilitators to enhanced their capacity on Hard Co
responsibility. "The training is aimed at enhancing the capacity of Facilitators
for a further stepdown of the knowledge to beneficiaries of the soft components
on access to healthcare services such as; pre-natal, post - natal and
immunization as well as monitoring them to see how they are complying with
these activities with the aim of reducing mother and child mortality rate in
Plateau state", said Miri.
The Chairman said
the programme is one of the most
transparent in terms of selection of beneficiaries because the mode of
selection is community based devoid of sentiments, be it political, ethnic or
religious adding that it was exactly how they generated and processed the Data
they are using for the activity.
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| Cross section of participants |
Miri further
appreciated the serious and sincere commitment of Government towards the
program as it has never defaulted in the payment of stipends to beneficiaries
except that the Local Government Chairmen really don't know the significant of
the programme. "For instance, the local government I am assisting (
Langtang North), does not attached any responsibility to the programme yet the
beneficiaries are people under them", he said. He advised that sensitization
training should also be organized for the Council Chairmen for them to know the
significant of this activity. "The truth is that if the Chairmen can
contribute 0.5 per cent of their time to this programme, it would greatly
enhanced the success of this activity and bridge the gap between the rich and
the poor which is the main target", Miri said.
African Drum could not get the reaction of the
ALGON Chairman, Plateau State Chapter, Hon. Ezekiel Vondip proved abortive as
his phone number could not be reached. However, responding to the allegation,
his deputy, Hon. Chindo Gona, who is also the Executive Chairman of Bassa local
government said SIP cannot get the cooperation of Local Government Chairmen
except it is initiated officially through the ministry for Local Government and
Chieftaincy Affairs or through ALGON.
The 2 day
training program had 86 facilitators. Lydia Salba, the Training and
Communication Officer represented, Hilda Neyol Bueyen, Head of Unit, State Conditional
Cash Transfer, Plateau state who spoke the significant of the training.
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| Rachael Sule |
Rachael Afe Sule,
a Facilitator and SIP Desk Officer Jos East said the training was rewarding
because it has improved her capacity saying that she would surely stepped it
down to beneficiaries of the soft activities in her locality.
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