LAGOS COMMISSIONER CHARGES STAFF TO ALIGN MINISTERIAL PROGRAMS AND STRATEGIES TO SDG

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Lola Akande has charged the management and staff of the Ministry to align its programmes and strategies to the United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) initiative for the total development of women and children in the State.

Mrs. Lola Akande, who gave the charge at a Retreat for management and staff of the Ministry with the theme, “Sustainable Poverty Reduction through Collaborative Partnership and exploiting other Funding Opportunities”, stressed that it is high time that the Ministry strengthens its efforts in seeking and exploiting other funding opportunities with donor agencies to reduce the enormous challenges faced by the State in ending poverty in all its ramifications.

She also noted that the State Government has put in place various measures and interventions to address the situation, adding that government cannot do it alone particularly at this period of national economic recession, hence the need to review strategies and seek other financial platforms to assist the government in reducing poverty in the State.

The Commissioner commended the efforts of the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for embarking on the implementation of the the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in the State, particularly on poverty reduction; combating inequalities; building peaceful, just and inclusive societies; protecting human (child and women) rights and promoting gender equality through women empowerment.

Akande stated further that the Ministry must intensify efforts and strengthen relationships with its developmental partners as well as other stakeholders to achieve sustainable growth.

In her remark, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Folasade Adesoye, noted that the Retreat was meant to brain storm and explore strategies to strengthen the management team in achieving the mandate of the Ministry, urging participants to be active and contribute meaningfully to discussions during the variuos sessions in order to broaden their knowledge.