MONROVIA, April 16 (LINA) - The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Government of Liberia and the World Bank are holding a three-day discussion to harmonize the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) program implementation plan in Monrovia.

 
The SCT program is a UNDP, World Bank-supported initiative that seeks to transfer cash to labor constrained and Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) affected households, including EVD survivors in Liberia.
 
 According to a UNDP press release, the program targets at least 12,500 labor constrained and EVD-affected households in 11 of Liberia’s 15 counties.
 
At the opening of the three-day work-plan workshop in Caresburg City, Montserrado County on Wednesday, Deputy Gender Minister Linda Mae-Sherman said while the ministry welcomes the coming on board of various partners for the SCT program, it was equally important to ensure that the implementation process is properly harmonized to avoid duplication of services.
 
 “The harmonization will ensure that the desired goals of the SCT program are achieved,” the Gender minister said.
 
 For her part, Deputy Finance and Development Planning Minister Tanneh Brunson said the Social Cash Transfer program was the first step in helping labor constrained and EVD-affected households in the country.
 
 Ms. Brunson emphasized that it was important to ensure that each partner is assigned a specific and defined role in the implementation process in a coordinated manner.
 
 Also making remarks, UNDP Assistant Country Director and Team Leader for Sustainable Economic Transformation (SET) Pillar, Dorsla Farcarthy, said the SCT program is one of several programs being supported by the UNDP and other partners to impact the livelihoods of the people of Liberia.
 
The Chairperson of the Superintendents Council of Liberia, Grand Bassa County Superintendent Etweda Cooper pledged the Council’s fullest support in the implementation of the SCT program in the country.
 
 It can be recalled that during her visit to the three worst Ebola affected countries in February this year, UNDP Administrator Helen Clarke officially launched the SCT program along with Liberia’s Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection Julia Duncan Cassell.
LINA