Ekiti State, UNICEF Partner on Social Protection Policy Development. By Taiwo Akintunde

Ekiti State, UNICEF Partner on Social Protection Policy Development. By Taiwo Akintunde

Ekiti State Government, through the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (Multilateral Relation Department), has collaborated with the United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to host the State Technical Working Group on Social Protection in a three day workshop to domesticate the National Social Protection Policy with the active participation and contribution of all stakeholders in both public and private sectors at the State and the Local Government Areas.

The event holding in the state capital (Ado-Ekiti), will create workable frameworks in-line with the five pillars of Governor Kayode Fayemi’s administration which include; Governance, Knowledge Economy, Social Investment, Infrastructural Development, Agricultural and Rural Development.

In his opening remarks, Honourable Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning, Olufemi Ajayi said that the training workshop is very important to the discourse on social protection, its practice and the future.

“I am confident that this forum provides a significant opportunity and valuable platform to learn and share experiences by actors in the social protection arena.

“The function of social protection flows from the constitutional demand for a just and inclusive society. We realize that we are only as strong as our most vulnerable and that the achievement of the sustainable development goals is directly linked to social equity .We therefore look forward to actionable outcomes that will shape the social protection agenda and move it forward in Ekiti State,” he said.

Speaking further, the Commissioner said that Social Protection Programmes are key components of the plans of the current administration particularly as regards the protection of the rights of women, children, youth, and people living with disabilities, older persons as well as minorities and marginalized groups of our society.

“Prominently, the coverage of social protection interventions remains largely limited by resources; however, we are determined to make necessary investments to achieve a higher level of social dignity for our people.

“Ekiti State Government is committed to creating an enabling environment for interventions of Donor Agencies towards improving the wellbeing of the people of the State. The State would try its possible best to honour the payment of its GCCC as a mark of its commitment to UNICEF assisted programmes and other Donors partnering with the State. There is therefore need for the State Government to develop institutional and human capacity, to initiate and implement sound child – friendly policies and programmes, he said.

Ajayi concluded that the performance of programmes implemented by UNICEF across the State however need to be monitored in programming order to align both the impact and the outcome of the programmes with the policies of the State Government.

“It is therefore germane to continue the process of exchange and dynamic dealing on the key lessons learnt and ways of improving performance of UNICEF Assisted Programmes in Ekiti State,” he ended.

Also speaking, Special Adviser on Social Investment Barrister Victor Kolade acknowledged that the Social Protection Policy is one that will further drive the state to the next phase of development.

“The Governor Fayemi-led administration, now and in his past tenure, has done so has done so much for the state in the area of human capital development, empowerment and creating policies that will further enhance governance in the state. This event is one that will help create a perfect framework for government activities in this regard. Social Investment is an integral part of the state’s developmental process and I can assure the people that the governor is focused on making the policies drafted thereafter count,” he said.

Highlighting the objectives of the workshop, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning Folorunso Babalola said that the Africa Union’s Social Protection Policy Framework of 2008 informed the decision of government in Africa to develop social policies aimed at achieving greater equality through fiscal and social protection laws.

“In Nigeria, the process of developing a National Social Protection Policy faced several hurdles until the Federal Executive Council approved the national Social Protection Policy in July, 2017.

“Ekiti State, Social Protection Policy shall be an umbrella policy structure that will incorporate related social agenda proposed to reduce poverty, and provide a life of dignity for our citizens. It will also articulate policy priorities of governments for the poor and those facing socio-economic vulnerabilities at all levels in the society.

“Social protection is a multi-sectorial and multi-disciplinary approach to poverty reduction with inextricably linked policy trails that require an omnibus organ for successful implementation.
“The objectives of the training workshop are to: Develop a draft Social Policy for Ekiti State aimed at achieving the following objectives;

“Reduction in poverty among the poor and people vulnerable to being poor; Empower the poor and people vulnerable to economic shocks; Advance human capital development to ensure a life of dignity; Provide guiding principles for managing social protection projects and programmes; Promote social cohesion, equity and growth inclusiveness; Ensure citizens have access to basic social services and infrastructure; Enhance social welfare and improve food security and nutrition; Support decent employment and sustainable livelihood; Protect individuals and households from shocks that can make them fall into extreme poverty; Foster synergy and coordination among all social protection intervention agencies and domesticate the National Policy on Social Protection in Ekiti State.

Chief of UNICEF Akure Field Office, Dr. Laxmi Bhawani expressed her delight at the adoption of the Social Protection Policy, saying that the United Nation agency will continue to support key intervention programmes in the state.

“The policy is the first step that creates an enabling environment for children to grow and fulfill their rights. Ekiti state government is quite progressive as they have come up with sorts of protection policies but this is the time to domesticate the national policy and pass this as a law in the Legislature. And then we need to have an implementation mechanism to overcome all the bottleneck issues we are facing so far and take necessary measures to monitor the implementation.

“We also have to look at poverty in a multi-dimensional nature and not just income poverty that we all know. There are several reasons and social development parameters that are leading to poverty which can be contained by the Social Protection Policy and help women and children in Ekiti state develop their potentials,” she said.

Other stakeholders present at the workshop include; Senior Special Assistant on Social Welfare Barrister Iyabo Fakunle Okiemen, Social Policy Officer UNICEF Akure Foluke Ojelabi, Head Social Protection and Human Capital Development Section, Federal Minstry of Budget and Planning Grace Obi-Ukpai, Representatives from Civil Society Organisations and Ekiti State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.