Group urges Kaduna Govt to implement policy on social protection

The Kaduna Social Protection Accountability Coalition (KADSPAC), has urged the Kaduna State Government to implement all the policies surrounding social protection.

The Chairperson of KADSPAC, Jessica Bartholomeo made the call at a one-day stakeholders’ policy dialogue with the theme: ‘Accelerating the Effective Implementation of the Kaduna Social Protection policy,’ on Thursday in Kaduna.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stakeholders’ policy dialogue was in collaboration with the Kaduna State Steering Committee on Social Investment.

According to Bartholomeo, if the social protection policies are implemented by government, it would address the plights of vulnerable and the poorest residents, and mitigate social and economic shocks.

She noted that the social protection policy dialogue which was an arm of the dissemination plan, was to ensure stakeholders in the state were informed on the details of the state social protection policy.

She said the implementation of the policies would reduce dependency and make the state move above the minimum poverty level.

The official noted that the policies included upgrading and linking poor and vulnerable  citizens to public works and other types of income support, to reduce poverty.

“Provision of qualitative education, special grants for children, unemployed and elderly.

“Establishment of private sector- led insurance measures targeted at informal sector and creating a social protection trust-fund among others, would also ensure enhancement of the social protection policy, ” she said.

Bartholomeo stressed the need for the government to start implementing all activities captured in the policies.

“We want to see some interventions happening in our communities and being aware that the interventions have started.

“We want an all inclusive intervention of the policies and this will mean that we do not want any group to be excluded.

“Once you are identified as vulnerable, it is your right to be able to partake in those interventions,” she said.

Bartholomeo, however, said some of the policies were already in place like the scholarship and contributory health care schemes.

She noted that for the informal sector to be accommodated in such schemes, the state must take ownership and implement them.

Earlier, Chairman of the state Steering Committee on Social Investment, Saude Atoyebi, said the policy was passed into law in August 2020 and inaugurated by Gov. Nasir El-Rufai in February, 2021.

She explained that after the inauguration, stakeholders were engaged by the committee and briefed on what the policy entails.

Atoyebi noted that it was not possible to lift all citizens out of poverty at once, or eliminate all forms of vulnerability and shocks, but assured that the government was doing its best to better the lives of all citizens.

One of the stakeholders, the state Vice Chairman of Joint Association of Persons with Disabilities, Abubakar Adam, said they were facing a lot of challenges.

He expressed concern over the delay in the passage of the Bill on Persons with Disabilities, which was with the state assembly for long.

“If the bill is passed, the social protection policy will strengthen the hope of PWDs in Kaduna, and the hope for better living and sense of belonging in the society would be achieved,” Adam said.

NAN reports that in attendance at the dialogue were various ministries, Civil Society Organisations, Save the Children, UNICEF, NBA, among others.