From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
In order to conform with international best practices, the Council of Chartered Institute of Social Work Practitioners of Nigeria (C-ISOWN) has embarked on comprehensive trainings of social workers in the country and vowed to flush out fake practitioners.
Speaking with newsmen in lokoja during the training of some members, the president of the institute, Prof. Oluwayemisi Obasoro-John vowed that the institute will do all within it’s powers to make social workers a prestigious profession and flush out fake practitioners and interlopers in the country.
The institute’s president also expressed satisfaction with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration for the efficient and credible delivery of social welfare programmes in the last three years.
He said this regulatory body of professional social workers in Nigeria throws
Its weight behind the current government’s commitment to the strategic and impactful delivery of social welfare ends in the country and described it as a turning point in the history of social work in Nigeria.
The Institute which was established under Act No. 25 of 2022, and granted the powers to control the practice of social work in Nigeria, serves as a vital regulatory mechanism for social work practice in the country.
Prof Obasoro- John said, the Institute is dedicated to maintaining professional standards through rigorous examinations and strict registration criteria, ensuring that only qualified individuals are licensed to practice.
In line with the established Act, he said the Institute is also embarking on nationwide training, retraining and categorization of practitioners with the ultimate aim of strengthening the practice by issuing the Social Worker’s stamp and seal to qualified and competent practitioners only.
” The Institute is encouraging the Federal Government to sustain the policy which allows professional regulatory bodies to be independent and self-funding so that they can truly regulate both public and private sectors for speedy socio-economic development.
“The Social Work Council in Nigeria therefore, believes in the solid foundation that the Chartered Institute is already laying, and is currently promoting a more sustainable approach by strengthening its existing framework. Relevant and credible stakeholders are therefore encouraged to engage and enhance the effectiveness of the social work profession by upholding high standards as we serve our clients nationwide and beyond”.
He said C-ISOWN has taken proactive steps by indexing and inducting students in various tertiary institutions across Nigeria, which fosters the development of a new generation of skilled social workers.
“The Institute has been engaging both at national and international levels to ensure that Social Work is elevated to the global benchmark status in Nigeria. Within the short space of establishment, issues such as professional training, enrolment of graduates from accredited institutions into national internship programme, and advanced discussions on grade level at entry point as well as others have been at the peak of the Institute’s agenda.
” As a regulatory agency, C-ISOWN has been unequivocal in asserting that financial and human resources should be prioritized for addressing pressing national issues rather than funding redundant and nonproductive agencies.
“The Institute therefore called on the President to focus more on engaging the services of chartered practitioners as enshrined in Act No 25 of 2022 for effective and result-oriented social service delivery in the country.
“On this note, C-ISOWN expressed deep gratitude to the Federal Government for including its members in various critical social service decision making structures in the country and pledged to redefine the social service spaces in the country at this critical period of national development” . He added