The Institute of Social Work of Nigeria (ISWON) has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Nigerian Council for Social Work Bill passed by the National Assembly.
Dr John Emaimo, the Executive Secretary of the ISWON, made the appeal on the sideline of institute’s 10th Annual Conference on Monday in Abuja.
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He said the bill, which seeks to establish the council to regulate the practice of professional social work in the country, would help social workers to have legal backing.
“It is encouraging that the Federal Government recently established the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
“Therefore, since social work is for the welfare of the society, we need to work together with the ministry and reorganise ourselves for better service delivery,” he said.
Emaimo also called on social workers to be professional in the discharge of their duties and encouraged them to engage in continuous training for improved performance.
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In his remark, Mr Aliyu Abubakar, Director General, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, said that the council was working toward introducing a police duty solicitor scheme to support social work activities in the country.
According to him, the scheme will ensure that lawyers are stationed at different police stations to provide legal intervention to indigent Nigerians at the point of detention.
Mr Tony Ojukwu, the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), also charged social workers to understand their roles in the advancement of human rights.
Ojukwu, who was represented by Mr Iheme Richmond, said that social workers should always see themselves as professional caregivers.
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“As a helping profession, you ought to scale up practice aimed at bringing about needed changes in persons, families, communities and the social environment.
“You need to promote human wellbeing by strengthening opportunities, resources and capacities of people in their environment.
“You must also create policies and services to correct the conditions that limit human rights and the quality of life,” he said.
The two-day conference with the theme: ‘Repositioning Social Work Practice for National Development’ had participants from the 36 states and the FCT.
