Lagos State Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has organized a two-day Training workshop for its social workers as part of its renewed commitment towards the realization of its mandate to guarantee the welfare of the people with special regards to social welfare of vulnerable children.
The permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, represented by the Director Social Welfare, Mrs.Olaide Latinwo said the State Government has identified effective costing in budget preparation as playing a key role in ensuring task programmes are achieved, hence the need for the workshop.
In his words, “The present administration is passionate about the welfare of its people through formulation of appropriate policies, programmes and implementation”.
“The workshop will shape the budgeting skills of Social Welfare Workers to justify the needs for more funds and ultimately towards achieving realizable programmes that will assist to transform Social Welfare practice in the State”.
The workshop, is aimed at offering practical, tested and effective ways of costing social welfare programmes thereby impacting positively on social service delivery in the State.
Earlier, The Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Lagos, Mrs. Akinroye Roseleen said there is need for such a forum where all relevant agencies come together to review social welfare activities and open consultations among all concerned stakeholders.
While noting that proper budgeting is a strategic approach to realizing the set goals of social welfare, Mrs. Akinroye reiterated that Lagos State has been chosen as a pilot State for the initiative due to its proactive nature of governance.
The two-day workshop is being attended by representatives of UNICEF; top officials from Lagos State Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs); Nigeria Population Commission (NPC), MIRABEL Centre and Child Protection Network.
