Ekiti State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, Mrs. Fola Richie-Adewusi has solicited for greater support for the over 17million Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in Nigeria.
Speaking in Ado Ekiti at a 2-day sensitization workshop organized by her ministry in conjunction with the Ekiti State AIDS Control Agency (EKSACA) and the World Bank for stakeholders proving care and support for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), People Affected by AIDS (PABA) and OVC; Mrs. Richie-Adewusi reiterated the commitment of the Fayemi led administration to the welfare and development of all citizens particularly women and children who she described as the most
vulnerable in the society.
The Commissioner who spoke through the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Peju Babafemi lamented that the ravaging effects of HIV/AIDS, which she described as one of the greatest challenges facing
humanity, have devastated families as most people including many of tender ages, are either infected or affected by the virus.
She highlighted the criteria used to identify OVC to include access to basic education, food, shelter, health care and children living in female-headed households or living in a household with
someone who is chronically ill.
According to her, the 2008 Situation Analysis and Needs assessment of OVC conducted by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Abuja revealed that 17.5million of Nigerian
children were OVC while the report of the survey conducted across the 16 Local Government Areas of Ekiti State in 2012 rated 43.5% of Ekiti children as OVC.
Mrs. Richie-Adewusi stressed the need for all stakeholders to support the efforts of government at making life more meaningful for the vulnerable in order to avert a situation where the children that
are already facing challenges like discrimination, stigmatization, violence, rape, trafficking and other various forms of abuse, will be completely condemned and turned to social misfit.
Emphasizing that support for the OVC should be considered as a contribution to the attainment of their fundamental human rights and not as a favour, the Commissioner expressed hope that the workshop
would adequately equip participants on how to render support to the vulnerable groups in the respective communities.
Richie-Adewusi expressed gratitude to the World Bank and EKSACA for their support in organizing the workshop which she described as educative, informative and inspiring training for the stakeholders, saying that the programme would definitely improve the rights and welfare of the vulnerable groups in the state.
In his remarks, the Project Manager of Ekiti State AIDS Control Agency (EKSACA), Dr. Charles Doherty described the programme as timely and relevant, noting that it would boost the understanding of
stakeholders on the relevance of proper care and treatment as well as protecting the vulnerable from stigmatization, discrimination, violence, rape etc to curb the negative impact and spread of the
dreaded disease.
Dr. Doherty also solicited the support of religious leaders and other opinion leaders in communities for the effort at making the society more comfortable to live in.
The representative of a Non Governmental Organization (NGO), Private Agencies Collaborating Together (PACT) Nig., Mr. Ephraim Manji in his own remarks, commended the organizers for what he called a good job.
Mr. Manji who said that his organization was currently working in nine states in the country, lauded the level of seriousness exhibited by the Ekiti State Government in the efforts at making live meaningful
for the people. Stressing that “things are working in Ekiti”, Manji charges participants at the workshop to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the organizers of the programme to improve the society
adding that they should go back to their respective communities with a determination to succeed and assist the vulnerable to live as comfortable as possible.
