EU, UNICEF Back Oyo’s Push For Social Protection Law
The Oyo State Government has received support from the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in its efforts to establish a legal framework for protecting vulnerable residents through a proposed Social Protection Bill.
The initiative, being coordinated by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning under the SUSI Project, was the focus of a stakeholders’ meeting organised to review and validate the draft legislation.
Speaking at the meeting held at the Ibadan Business School, Bodija, Ibadan, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Julius Ayanleke, said the exercise followed an earlier stakeholders’ engagement in Oyo, where the draft bill was finalised.
He explained that the validation was necessary ahead of the document’s presentation to the State Executive Council and eventual consideration by the State House of Assembly.
Ayanleke described social protection as a collective responsibility, noting that anyone could become vulnerable regardless of their social or economic status.
He urged participants to take the exercise seriously, stressing that the proposed legislation would help address poverty and improve the welfare of residents across the state.
He also appreciated the EU and UNICEF for supporting the development of a comprehensive social protection framework driven by the needs of Oyo residents.
In her goodwill message, the Clerk of the State House of Assembly, Mrs Taiwo Murano Akinola, assured that the legislature would expedite consideration and passage of the bill once presented.
She said the Assembly was committed to ensuring that vulnerable people in the state benefited from the proposed legislation.
Similarly, the UNICEF Lagos Office representative, Mr Mohammed Okorie, commended the state government for the initiative and assured that the organisation would continue providing technical support towards its successful implementation.
The Director of Legal Drafting at the Ministry of Justice, Dr Dairo Titloye, also described the bill as an important instrument for protecting poor and vulnerable persons in the state, commending all partners for their contributions.
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