Minister inaugurates committee for orphans, vulnerable children

Hajiya Aisha Alhassan

The Federal Government on Monday, inaugurated the National Technical Steering Committee on the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in the country.

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Sen. Aisha Alhassan, inaugurated the committee in Abuja.

Represented by the Director, Child Development Department, Hajia Jumai Mohammed, Alhassan said the inauguration was in fulfilment of the recommendation of the National Priority Agenda (NPA) of 2013 to 2020.

‘’The NPA agenda recognises coordinated structure as a way of strengthening OVC response in Nigeria.

“The aim of establishing the committee is to provide technical assistance and support for the implementation of NPA and state plan of action.

“The institutional framework of the NPA suggests that the previously established National Technical Coordinating Group (NTCG) be strengthened and changed to Technical Steering Committee.

“It also suggested that a similar model is replicated at the state level with a States Management Steering Committee for the development, management and coordination of the State Plans of Action for Vulnerable Children,” Alhassan said.

The minister advised members of the committee to explore the opportunity of identifying and linking services and people with the established and functional structures.“We are not unmindful of numerous challenges beleaguering OVC community-based services, but your expertise and years of experience will bring about a solution to surmount them.

“These are parts of what informed the need to set up this steering committee, to help in ameliorating these challenges for enhanced services delivery,” the minister said.

Mohammed, who was in turn represented by the Assistant Director, OVC, Mr Musa Aliyu, said the mandate of ministry was to ensure qualitative services to OVC.

Mohammed said that the NPA was an eight-year strategic framework to guide the multi-sectoral operations of the objectives and strategies of the country’s Vision 20:2020.

The director said it was to ensure the protection of the vulnerable children and reduce child poverty.

The Technical Steering Committee was drawn from relevant ministries, Non-Governmental Organisations and civil society organisations relating to OVC.