Chris Awhawha
Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has called for closer collaboration between all tiers of government, development partners and other critical stakeholders in alleviating the plight of orphans and vulnerable children in society.
He made the call on Monday at the launch of the Bayelsa State Strategic Plan for Vulnerable Children (2025-2030) organised by the Centre for Clinical Care and Clinical Research Nigeria (CCCRN) in collaboration with the state Ministry of Women, Children Affairs, Empowerment and Social Development in Yenagoa.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, stressed that the fundamental human rights of orphans and vulnerable Children (OVCs) like any other citizens of the country must not be neglected but protected at all times.
While underscoring the state government’s commitment towards providing a better livelihood for OVCs in the state, the Deputy Governor urged the Women and Children Ministry to expand the Integrated Child Health and Social Service Award (ICHSSA 1) project to include more people living in the rural areas.
Speaking further on the expansion of the programme, Senator Ewhrudjakpo called on the Centre for Clinical Care and Clinical Research Nigeria and other stakeholders to limit the issue of vulnerability to those living with HIV/AIDS and their children alone but to all disadvantaged orphans.
He also charged local government authorities in the state to replicate what the state government is doing by developing their own strategic plans on how to reduce the suffering of vulnerable children.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who was conferred with an Excellence Merit Award at the event, thanked the organizers for the honour, adding that the award would inspire him to do more in touching the lives of the needy in society.
His words: “First of all, we are humbled by this award and we believe it is an inspiration to do more in terms of making our orphans and vulnerable children have better means of livelihood in Bayelsa and Nigeria in general.
“So, I thank the organizers of this programme. We want the programme the sustained; not only sustained but taken to the rural areas, where over 70% of our population live and work.
“The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs should expand the programme because what we are doing is like a dot on the spot of a drawing. Orphans and vulnerable children are not limited to those who have HIV/AIDS alone. OVC have a very wide spectrum.
“Since it is an OVC programme, we must look at it holistically to include all those who are deprived and those suffering abuses from their parents, foster parents and other guardians because all of them have the right to be protected.”
Earlier in her welcome address, the Commissioner for Women, Children Affairs, Empowerment and Social Development, Deaconess Elizabeth Bidei, noted that the Integrated Child Health and Social Services Award (ICHSSA) project was initiated three years ago to build the resilience of vulnerable children in the state.
She commended the state government for providing support including a conducive office for the programme, which was being implemented in all the eight local government areas of the state.
Delivering a keynote address, the Chief of Party, ICHSSA 1 Project, Dr Peter Adekoya, said the project significantly impacted on the lives of 3,311 orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) from 1,171 households in the state through livelihood-based social protection and care programmes.
In his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, congratulated the women ministry on its achievements in caring for orphans and vulnerable children, and pledged his ministry’s support in terms of providing good healthcare for the children.
Highpoint of the event which had in attendance several government officials and NGOs was the presentation of the Excellence Merit Award by Wife of the state Governor, Dr Gloria Diri.