NAN-H-12
YESSO
By Benson Ezeugwu
Calabar, May 23, 2017 (NAN) The Youths Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO) has begun the second face of registration of poor and vulnerable households in Cross River.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that YESSO Project for Nigeria is a Federal Government initiative aimed at increasing access of the poor to youth employment opportunities, social services and strengthened safety net systems.
Mr Balinwa Ofegobi, the state Coordinator of the programme, told journalists on Tuesday in Calabar that the registration would be done in six LGAs – two from each of the three senatorial zones.
Ofegobi said: “The Community-Based Targeting (CBT) exercise, which is in its second phase, is expected to cover six local government areas – two from each of the three senatorial zones.
“The LGAs are Ogoja and Obanliku in the North, Boki and Abi for the Central and Odukpani and Bakassi for the Southern Senatorial Zone.’’
The coordinator said that there was the need for the people to provide correct information to the enumerators.
According to him, this will provide a database to assist the federal and state governments and development partners to plan intervention programmes aimed at empowering the poor and vulnerable in the state.
Mr Francis Otu, Head of Operations, YESSO, said that the exercise would cover 30 communities from each of the designated LGAs.
According to him, this will bring the communities to be covered in the second phase to 180 and a total of about 7, 200 households.
Otu called for co-operation of Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGA), community leaders and other stakeholders to ensure success of the exercise.
NAN reports that the exercise had earlier been piloted in six other LGAs – Yala, Bekwarra, Etung, Obubra, Biase and Calabar Municipality.
Obudu, Ikom, Yakurr, Akamkpa, Akpabuyo and Calabar South LGAs will be captured in the third phase.(NAN)
BEN/VIV/IGO
==========
(Editing by Vivian Ihechu/Ijeoma Popoola)