Obaseki Assures Edo Residents of Better Livelihoods, Pledges to Tackle Poverty

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has reassured citizens that his government will sustain efforts to ensure better livelihoods, strengthen the productive sector and pursue more impactful policies across all sectors of the state.

These, he anticipates would significantly reduce poverty and accelerate economic development and growth.

A statement quoted Obaseki to have given the assurance in commemoration of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, observed by the United Nations and other sister agencies.

Reacting to the theme of this year’s celebration, ‘Building Forward Together: Ending Persistent Poverty, Respecting all People and our Planet,’ the governor reiterated the need for better collaboration among global stakeholders to end poverty in all its forms, which is the first of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The governor noted that amid the economic and social disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which is now in its third wave, the government would sustain the support for businesses, ensuring that Edo people are better empowered to sustain their livelihood, develop themselves and grow the economy.

He said the government launched the Edo State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (EDO-CARES) programme in 2021 to, “tackle the challenges posed by the pandemic, protect livelihoods and food security of the poor and vulnerable families and facilitate revitalisation of local economic activity across the state, through special intervention to support Small and Medium-scale Enterprises’ recovery.

“All these are part of our government’s strategy to ensure prosperity for our people, significantly reduce poverty level and Make Edo Great Again (MEGA).”

Urging stakeholders and world leaders to rise to the occasion and tackle the barriers to accessing quality education, healthcare, employment, Obaseki stressed that his government was committed to improving the social and economic wellbeing of Edo people and has ensured health insurance coverage for every Edo resident, allowing them equitable access to affordable and quality healthcare services.

The governor said his administration has prioritised basic and technical education to equip Edo people with the knowledge and skills to confront poverty and defeat it.

According to the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, “Today and every day, let us join hands to end poverty and create a world of justice, dignity and opportunity for all.

“Poverty is a moral indictment of our times. For the first time in two decades, extreme poverty is on the rise. Last year, around 120 million people fell into poverty as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on economies and societies.”