Stakeholders validate Osun social protection policy

Stakeholders from various sectors in Osun State yesterday validated the social protection policy of the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesoal after thorough scrutiny and okayed it for documentation.

The validation meeting in Osogbo was attended by representatives of the labour unions, private sector, nongovernmental organisations, top government officials from various ministries, departments and agencies as well as the Commissioners and the Special Advisers to the Governor and the chairmen of local government councils in the state.

The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning who is also the Chairman of Osun Social Protection Programmes Implementation Committee, Dr Olalekan Yinusa said the meeting was organised to fully involve all stakeholders in the state in the final documentation of the Osun Social Protection Policy.

The Director General of the Office of Economy Development and Partnership (OEDP) Dr Charles ‘Diji Akinola said the workshop was aimed at fully carrying the all stakeholders in the state along in the process of developing a comprehensive social protection policy for the state.

Akinola lauded the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Economic Policy Research Institute (EPRI), women groups, academics, civil society organizations, traditional leaders, religious leaders, community leaders, teachers, professional bodies, labour unions, civil society organizations, artisans, market men and women, development experts, politicians for their enormous contribution to the development of the policy.

According to Akinola “we are together making progress in recognizing the fact that our State of Osun’s development can only be hastened up, if we work together to eliminate factors that contribute to poverty, inequality and vulnerability. Presently, social protection is seen by the international community, regional bodies such as the African Union, national and state governments as a policy tool to address such development challenges.”

“It is against this backdrop that the government of the State of Osun under the leadership of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola upon assumption of office in 2010 made a pact with the good people of the state in his Six (6) Point Integral Action Plan which are banish poverty, banish hunger, create work and wealth, restore healthy living, promote functional education and Enhance communal peace and progress to respond to the above challenges.”

“A detailed look at the Six-Point Integral Action Plan would reveal that they are inherently social welfare and protection focused in nature. The Six-Point Integral Action Plan has resulted in the planning and implementation of a variety of social protection, social welfare, economic development and social services programming in the State, under the leadership of various state-level ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).”

“The Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola government has robustly designed and is implementing innovative social welfare and protection programmes, spread across the different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and sectors, targeting some of the neediest sectors of the population including women, children and the elderly”, Akinola said.