The Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare has charged Auxiliary Social Workers operating in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) host communities to remain committed to their mandate of protecting children from abuse.
The Commissioner, Hon. Theresa Ikwue, gave the charge while receiving the trained social workers in her office during a courtesy visit to appreciate the Ministry for the capacity-building initiative and to strengthen collaboration for child protection in Benue State.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the ministry’s Assistant Information Officer, Ochanya Okoh, Hon. Ikwue emphasized the need to deploy at least two social workers in every ward to curb child abuse and assured the workers that the Ministry would engage the Governor on the possibility of converting them from volunteers to civil servants. She encouraged them to remain steadfast in their humanitarian service, assuring them of continued government support.
While encouraging the Director of Child Development, Mrs. Janet Daagba, and the Director of Social Welfare, Mrs. Eunice Tachia, to ensure new strategies are in place for additional ways of curbing the menace, she commended Governor Hyacinth Alia for creating an enabling environment for the training. She also appreciated UNICEF, through its Child Protection Specialist at the Enugu Field Office, Mrs. Victor Atochukwu, for supporting the initiative, and expressed confidence in the workers’ ability to deliver on their mandate.
The Commissioner added that plans were underway to train the social workers on the use of the Ministry’s website and database to enhance coordination and response, as well as to institute monthly meetings for effective service delivery.
Earlier, Mrs. Patience Etsekpa of Nyiman Community, speaking on behalf of the group, expressed gratitude to the Ministry for the opportunity to contribute to societal development. She appealed for official identification to prevent harassment while on duty, highlighted the increasing cases of paternal abandonment and youth involvement in fraud, called for intensified sensitization campaigns, and requested vehicles to enhance emergency response efforts.
