From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State remains committed to ensuring that social protection is not just a policy but a transformative tool for poverty reduction, equity, and resilience.
The Executive Secretary of the Kaduna Social Investment Protection Agency (KADSIPA), Alhaji Sani Maikudi, made this known at the opening of a two-day workshop in Zaria, Kaduna State.
Alhaji Sani further stated, “Governor Uba Sani’s administration recognises the importance of continuously assessing and refining our policies to meet the evolving needs of our citizens.
“It is this commitment that has made workshops like this possible, where stakeholders come together to review, analyse, and improve critical frameworks like the Social Protection Policy,” he added.
In her goodwill message, the Social Policy Officer of the Kaduna Field Office of UNICEF, Wakidara Mavis Akila, said the review is timely and highly welcomed, especially in the context of climate change.
She assured UNICEF’s continuous support while congratulating KADSIPA and the Kaduna State Government for their commitment to the success of the programme.
The Project Coordinator of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Malam Muhammad Shehu Danhassan, appreciated the key roles and functions of civil society organisations recognised by the Kaduna State Government.
He added that the Human-Centred Design (HCD) approach should be mainstreamed and incorporated into the Social Protection Policy, as this will ensure that beneficiaries are involved in all decision-making processes.
Summaya Abdullahi Hussein, the Citizens’ Co-Chair of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Technical Working Group, urged KADSIPA to strengthen social protection systems and ensure that the policy positively impacts the lives of the people.
According to her, “We need to ensure that what we have on paper is reflected in the lives of the vulnerable families we are targeting.”
The workshop, organised by KADSIPA in collaboration with UNICEF, aimed to review the Kaduna State Social Protection Policy.
The policy, designed in 2020, has a three-year review cycle as part of its guiding principles to ensure the effective use of the policy document, address emerging challenges, and incorporate global best practices into the policy framework.
Representatives of relevant ministries, departments, and agencies of Kaduna State, UNICEF, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and the Open Government Partnership (OGP) attended the workshop.
The Kaduna Social Protection Accountability Coalition (KADSPAC) and the Kaduna State chapter of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) were also represented.