Government has commended officials of the State Operations Coordinating Unit (SOCU) for alleviating the plight of the needy and vulnerable in the State.
The Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Hon. Ayiba Duba gave the commendation during a one day sensitization/advocacy programme organization by SOCU at the Ministry of Information, Orientation and Strategy, Yenagoa.
The Commissioner who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Jane Help Yahwei noted that it was a laudable scheme with the mandate to collect and analyse data of the deprived and vulnerable population, with a view of reducing poverty.
She advised the required category of persons to take advantage of the scheme, to adequately utilize the quota of the State.
In his remarks, the State coordinator of SOCU, Mr. Felix Asimgbi stated that the State Operations Coordinating Unit (SOCU) is a National Social Safety Nets Project (NSSNP), under the National Social Investment Program (NSIP), sponsored by World Bank to provide a database of the poor in Nigeria.
He stated that the scheme provides the platform for delivery of social assistance and contribution to improve human capacity development across the country, adding that only 90, 066 households, with 323,602 individuals are registered in the state.
Mr. Asimgbi who noted that officials of SOCU are committed to register the poor and vulnerable ones in the State, added that the figure of Bayelsa State was low on the chart, compared to other States of the federation; he therefore urged the needy to ensure they are registered, in order to benefit from the monthly stipends from the scheme.
