Ms. Leul Gebreab, Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, called for integrated effort in strengthening and implementation of social welfare programs.

Minister Leul made the call at an activity assessment meeting of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare branch in the Southern Region conducted on 26 January in Mendefera.

Indicating that improving the livelihoods of disadvantaged citizens is one of the objectives of the Ministry, Minister Leul called for preserving the achievements already registered and to exert more effort for better outcome.

According to the report presented at the meeting, in the Southern Region over 75 million Nakfa has been distributed to families of martyrs and over 1.8 million Nakfa to disadvantaged citizens.

Underlining that supporting and rehabilitating families of martyrs and disadvantaged citizens is not to be left to the Government only, Mr. Haile Gebremicael, head of the office branch in the region, called on every citizen to strengthen participation and contribution in the effort.

Mr. Habteab Tesfatsion, Governor of the Southern Region, on his part expressed readiness of the regional administration to stand alongside the office branch in all its activities.