The Oyo State Government, in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has validated its draft Social Protection Bill aimed at strengthening support for vulnerable residents and addressing poverty across the state.
The validation exercise, organised by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning under the SUSI Project, brought together 48 participants from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the legislature, organised labour and other relevant stakeholders.
Speaking at the meeting held at the Ibadan Business School, Bodija, Ibadan, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Julius Ayanleke, said the exercise was designed to review the draft legislation ahead of its presentation to the State Executive Council and subsequent consideration by the State House of Assembly.
Ayanleke explained that the validation meeting followed an earlier stakeholders’ engagement in Oyo, where the draft bill was finalised.
He described social protection as a collective responsibility, noting that vulnerability could affect anyone, irrespective of their social or economic status.
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He urged participants to contribute meaningfully to the review process, stressing that the proposed legislation would provide a framework for tackling poverty and improving the welfare of residents.
“Social protection is a collective responsibility, as anyone can become vulnerable regardless of their social or economic status,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary said the proposed law was driven by the needs of the people of Oyo State and appreciated the EU and UNICEF for supporting the government in developing a comprehensive social protection framework.
In her goodwill message, the Clerk of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Mrs Taiwo Murano Akinola, assured that the legislature would expedite consideration of the bill once it was presented to the House.
She said the Assembly was committed to ensuring the passage of the legislation to enable vulnerable residents to benefit from the proposed interventions.
Similarly, the UNICEF Lagos Office representative, Mr Mohammed Okorie, commended the state government for initiating the bill, describing it as an important step towards protecting vulnerable members of society.
Okorie also assured the government of UNICEF’s continued technical support towards the successful implementation of the proposed social protection framework.
Also speaking, the Director of Legal Drafting at the Ministry of Justice, Dr Dairo Titloye, described the bill as important to the protection of poor and vulnerable persons in the state.
He commended the government and its development partners for their contributions to the development of the legislation.
The validation exercise is expected to pave the way for the presentation of the draft bill to the State Executive Council before its transmission to the House of Assembly for legislative consideration.
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