Social protection is making waves in Kaduna ― Govt

Kaduna State government has said social protection is making waves in the state as a result of the various programmes implemented by the present administration led by governor Nasiru El-Rufai.

The Focal Person of the State Social Investment Office (SIO), Mrs Saude Atoyebi, asserted this during a one-day meeting of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Technical Working Group (TWG) on Inclusion: Strengthening Social Protection systems in Kaduna State, held in the Kaduna.

Atoyebi, who was represented by the Special Assistant to Gov Nasir El-Rufai on Social Investment Programmes, Mrs Rebecca Padonu, said, social protection because of its crucial role as a tool in ending multidimensional poverty among the poor and vulnerable in the state, the government see it necessary to add in the Second Action plan of OGP.

Atoyebi explained that TWG is made up of government partners implementing various social protection programmes, civil society organisations(CSOs)and media working together to deliver on the commitment ‘4’ in the action plan.

“We will be working with citizens’ groups to ensure we deliver on this commitment base on the OGP principle of co-creation and co-implementation of policies and programmes by the state and non-state actors.”

She further affirmed the State Government would strengthen partnerships with citizens and groups to deliver inclusive social protection programmes to the poor and vulnerable, promising robust engagement of citizens in pro-poor programmes.

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She stressed that the state government had made a commitment in the second OGP State Action Plan 2021 to 2023 to work with citizens to strengthen inclusive social protection systems in the state.

The focal person, who is also the Government Co-chair of the OGP, Social protection, said that the second action plan was built on the successes recorded in the first action plan from 2018 to 2020.

She noted that the measure was part of efforts to improve citizens’ engagement, transparency and accountability in the governance process through a partnership with citizens.

She identified some of the commitments in the action plan as the development of a credible register of the Poor and Vulnerable Households and enrollment of most poor and vulnerable into existing social protection programmes, saying others include increasing the number of beneficiaries accessing social protection programmes and track the budget performance of social protection programmes and enact social protection law.

Mr Philip Yatai, the Citizens Co-Chair, said that the objective of the meeting was to strengthen the synergy between government and Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and members of the technical working group.

Yatai added that the meeting was also for the government and CSOs to agree on the joint implementation of the state action plan.

He further said that the meeting was organised to provide an update on progress and challenges in the implementation of various social protection programmes in the state and review reporting templates.

“In spite of several efforts by the state government, significant gaps in the provision of social protection services still exist in the state.

“Social protection is about upholding human dignity and promoting the overall wellbeing of individuals amidst socioeconomic adversity.

“The commitments in the action intend to bridge identified gaps in rendering social protection services in the state,” he said.

Mr Adejor Abel, the State Lead Facilitator, Partnership to Engage Reform and Learn (PERL), said that dialogue between government and citizens would foster inclusive development.

Abel said that PERL, a United Kingdom governance programme, would continue to support dialogue between government and citizens to deepen citizens’ participation in governance.

On his part, Mr Victor Ogharanduku, the Social Protection Specialist, Save the Children International(SCI), commended the state government for working with citizens to deliver inclusive social protection programmes.

According to him, social protection programmes will achieve the expected outcome if government and citizens regularly discuss and review progress, challenges and the way forward.

“We are here as the technical working group on commitment 4 area of the OGP. This is important because, at the end of the day, we need to report back to the OGP Secretariat on the progress of this commitment based on action plans and commitments already made by the state government on social protection

“To a large extent, and I think we are happy to have harvested much information today, I think all the MDAs except one turned up, there is lots of progress today. Social protection is making waves in Kaduna across different interventions,” he said.

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Social protection is making waves in Kaduna ― Govt