The need to incorporate civil societies for effective implementation of GIFA’s eight-point thematic areas
Recently, the wife of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Patience Umo Eno, launched her pet-project – Golden Initiative for All (GIFA), on the occasion of her birthday celebration. Like it is typical of all first ladies in Nigeria, GIFA was inaugurated as a project that will preoccupy the the First Lady on one hand, and through the programme, be able to reach out to the poor and vulnerable in the state, on the other hand.
As a project that was conceptualised by the governor’s wife; to address the poverty lines that have been drawn on some families in Akwa Ibom State, it not surprising therefore, that a lot is planted in the womb of this lofty Initiative. This is so because, Pastor Patience Umo Eno, as a mother, understands the degree of poverty plaguing the people, especially the vulnerable ones, hence the eight- point programme.
It is in view of this, apparently, that Pastor Patience Eno decided to structure GIFA into eight thematic components. These components vastly cover areas affecting people with disabilities, maternal and child healthcare, enhancing literacy, improving environmental health, women empowerment, care for the elderly, among others.
As lofty as this initiative is, it is however worthy of note that the initiator and her team of implementers cannot carry out comprehensively these policy thrusts. This is because, reaching out to the key focus of the project across the 31 local government areas of the state will be quite herculean, and as such, will require more than just learners hands.
It is therefore, on this note that we enjoin the wife of the governor and her team to throw open, the implementation of this programme for civil societies to get involved and run with this beautiful vision. Why this is important because there are many NGOs in the state whose activities overlap with those of the GIFA initiator, Patience Eno. For this, their involvement will add substance and give some sense of direction to the programme, having been doing humanitarian activities around the state.
Pastor Patience Eno should also lay hands on the template some of these organisations have been using in designing their programmes and activities. This will enable her to understudy their rise and fall, which will perhaps serve as a lead knowledge.
It is hoped that GIFA and its team will, through this project, work to give families in Akwa Ibom a lift to the top through the GIFA initiative.