Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has underscored his administration’s commitment to significantly reduce poverty in the state within the next year, despite the challenges posed by a rapidly growing population. Acknowledging that complete eradication of poverty might be unattainable, Governor Otti emphasized the importance of creating an environment that fosters business growth, generates employment, and enhances the overall well-being of the citizens.
Addressing a delegation from the European Union, along with representatives from UNICEF and the International Labour Organization (ILO) during their visit on Tuesday, Governor Otti stressed the need for a reliable database to effectively plan and measure progress in the ongoing efforts to address poverty in the state.
“While we may not be able to eliminate poverty entirely, we can certainly alleviate it by creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, generating employment opportunities, and pulling people out of unemployment,” Governor Otti stated. He expressed the government’s genuine desire to lift people out of poverty and emphasized the importance of having a reliable database for accurate planning and measurement of progress.
The Governor expressed gratitude for considering Abia as a partner in development and reiterated that all initiatives undertaken by his administration in the past eight months were geared towards genuinely uplifting the people of Abia State from poverty. He emphasized the significance of a reliable social register, highlighting its role in effective planning and data-driven decision-making.
“I want to see, in the next one year, with an increase in population, the poverty level reducing, not just the rate. We have struggled with the social register, and I am pleased that you are emphasizing the importance of social protection. Nothing is as crucial as data because, without it, you cannot plan effectively,” Governor Otti emphasized.
He acknowledged the importance of considering multidimensional poverty, incorporating elements such as wealth, access to education, and infrastructure. Governor Otti assured the delegation that Abia State was one of the safest in Nigeria, attributing this to significant investments in the security sector, including the launch of the “Operation Crush” security initiative.
Expressing enthusiasm about collaboration, Governor Otti stated that the government of Abia would be delighted to work closely with the European Union and its partners, describing the cooperation as commendable. He also expressed openness to a partnership with the International Labour Organization to address pension-related issues.
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Blessing Felix, pointed out that Abia currently lacked a reliable social register. She expressed optimism that the intervention from the visiting delegation would help the state create an accurate and dependable social support register that had been elusive for decades.
The team leader and Programme Manager for Social Protection, European Union, Miss Chioma Osuji, explained that their visit aimed to strengthen Abia State’s social protection system by developing a reliable social register. This register, she stated, would guide the provision of necessary support to address the multidimensional poverty rate in the state. Miss Osuji noted that the digitization of the entire process would enhance efforts to tackle poverty in Nigeria effectively.
Highlighting the significance of their partnership, the Social Policy Specialist from UNICEF, Mr. Segun Tekun, and the Senior Programme Officer from ILO, Mrs. Chinyere Emeka-Anuma, underscored their collaborative efforts with the EU to strengthen intervention projects in selected locations. They assured the Governor that the team would engage with stakeholders across various sectors to understand their needs and explore collaborative opportunities.
The meeting, attended by the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, and other government functionaries, concluded with a positive outlook towards a collaborative and data-driven approach to reduce poverty in Abia State.