African Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) has launched the ‘Enhancing Social Protection Programme in Nigeria’ (ESPPIN) project.

The project, with support from Germany-based Bread for the World, will be implemented in Anambra, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, and Ekiti states.

Speaking at the inception meeting of the project in Abuja, ANEEJ Executive Director, David Ugolor, said the ESPPIN project was designed to ensure decent living conditions for Nigerians.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)’s 2019 Poverty and Inequality in Nigeria report, almost 83 million Nigerians live below the country’s poverty line of N137,430 ($381.75) per year.

‘The federal government and a few states in the country have initiated a couple of social investment programmes as a direct response to the poverty situation’, Ugolor said.

‘The Buhari administration in 2020 committed to a decade-long plan to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.

‘The Conditional Cash Transfer, School Feeding, the N-Power Programme amongst others are aimed at achieving this set goal.

‘On our part, we commit to complement efforts of government in this arduous responsibility.

‘It is on this premise that we are launching the project, entitled Enhancing Social Protection Programme in Nigeria (ESPPIN).

‘This is in our belief that government alone cannot surmount the problem of poverty in Nigeria. Complementarity of government and development partners’ efforts is key to poverty eradication in Nigeria’.

Also speaking, the Director of the National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO), Dr Iorwa Apera, represented by Ruth Adzege, called for genuine commitment from all stakeholders.

‘We align ourselves with this initiative towards this critical social contract’, Apera said.

‘We also seize this opportunity to recognise ANEEJ for their support to NASSCO in its coordination role for social protection and establishing the building blocks for social protection implementation in Nigeria’.

Source: ANEEJ

Photo source: ANEEJ