Freetown — Deputy minister of labor and industrial relations has voiced his ruling All People's Congress, APC-led government's determination to fight the increasing rate of poverty in the country.

Moijueh Kaikai, who was speaking during a one-day national validation workshop on the social protection policy framework for Sierra Leone organized by NaCSA in collaboration with Concern Worldwide and the British department for international development, DfID, said government was making frantic efforts to address the needs of the people.

According to Kaikai, the enactment of a social policy framework for the country will help to address most of the challenges faced by vulnerable Sierra Leoneans, noting, "We've brought together people from various parts of the country so that they too can contribute to the validation of this policy which is intended to address our poverty needs".

He added, "Social security cannot take place without collective responsibility; which is why my ministry is working closely with like-minded institutions to address poverty among our people. The policy regards human rights and social justice. We have had policies in the past but this time we want to make it a reality by allowing people's participation".

Commissioner of NaCSA, Saidu Conton Sesay said his institution shares a common concern in dealing with the welfare of the citizenry, especially when the social protection indicator counted to be low.

He said access to resources was based on the ability of the individual and that the conference was organized to have collective efforts in the fight against poverty.

"This problem is crucial, it therefore needs a good framework that will help government to cater for those who cannot afford for themselves," he noted.

Giving an overview of the framework, NaCSA consultant Hannah Max-Kyne said the document was prepared after series of meetings with people at both rural and urban communities, and that they were able to identify those who are in serious need of the social protection policy.

She said social protection was not a new phenomenon in Africa, especially in Sierra Leone as there were challenging issues in developing a policy and strategy.

Max-Kyne informed that a group of people were identified in the mapping as socially vulnerable because certain cultural norms and values expose them to deprivation in the communities.

"Among the socially vulnerable are widows, single mothers, sex workers, children, the disabled and abandoned children," she said, adding that the very poor and most vulnerable are at constant risk of diseases, starvation and death.