The Kwara State Government through the Ministry of Environment has organized an orientation workshop for beneficiaries and stakeholders of the Labour Intensive Public Workfare (LIPW) as the social safety net and community development programme enters its second phase in the state.
Participants at the orientation workshop held on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, cut across various local government areas of the state, including Ilorin West, Ilorin East, Ilorin South, Asa, Moro, Ifelodun, among others.
LIPW is a key component of the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) 2.0 intervention supported by the World Bank. Kwara is one of the frontline states that embraced the intervention to cushion the effects of economic shocks on people, support community development and resilience, and enhance livelihoods.
In her opening address at the event, the Commissioner of Environment, Hajia Nafisat Musa-Buge, congratulated the beneficiaries on being selected for the programme, charging them to see it as a platform to make a positive impact in their respective communities.
The Honourable Commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Dr. Abubakar Olayiwola Ayinla, commended the Executive Governor of Kwara State, His Excellency Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for his dedication to the wellbeing of the people, which could be seen in his consistent support for impactful programmes such as the LIPW in the state.
Dr. Ayinla noted that LIPW is a strategic platform to impact the community while uplifting the livelihoods of people at the same time. He expressed optimism that the beneficiaries would justify the confidence reposed in them by delivering on the mandates of the programme.
The Permanent Secretary was accompanied by Director of Personnel, Finance and Supply, Mr. Taiwo Okanlawon, and HOD, Climate Change and Environmental Impact Assessment, Mr. Ilias Abdulghaniyy Olawale.
Earlier in his address, the Technical Head of LIPW, Alhaji Shamsideen Aregbe, explained to the beneficiaries that the programme is a community-oriented programme and that their responsibilities would include cleaning and maintaining public institutions and facilities within their immediate environment for 4 hours every day, excluding weekends and public holidays.
The Technical Head noted that the CDOs of each Local Government Area, as well as their Community, would assign specific tasks to the beneficiaries, charging them to exhibit the highest level of commitment to their responsibilities.
“The programme has been designed in a way that the beneficiaries would not have to spend their stipends on transport. The tasks that will be assigned to them will be in their immediate communities. We will also provide working tools for them. At the end of the day, they can use their stipends to augment whatever they earn from other sources. The objective is to ease the burden created by the current economic realities in the country,” Alhaji Aregbe said.
The Technical Head expressed gratitude to His Excellency, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for approving the commencement of the second phase of the LIPW programme, while appealing for the cooperation of the beneficiaries and stakeholders to ensure a successful execution.
Also speaking, LIPW Accountant, Mrs Yemisi Otepola, said the monthly stipends for the programme has been graciously reviewed upward to N20,000, while stating commitment to timely payment of beneficiaries.
She, however, noted that payment would be tied to the satisfactory execution of tasks by beneficiaries, as a quarterly monitoring and evaluation exercise would be carried out by management.
Beneficiaries took turns to appreciate Governor AbdulRazaq for the opportunity extended to them, pledging to be dutiful and responsible in discharging the mandates of the programme as a form of community service.
