The Oyo State Government has moved closer to introducing a legal framework for protecting vulnerable residents, following the validation of its draft Social Protection Bill with a promise of speedy passage by the State House of Assembly.
The validation exercise was organised by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning with support from the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) under the SUSI Project.
The meeting, held at the Ibadan Business School, Bodija, Ibadan, attracted 48 participants drawn from relevant ministries, departments and agencies, the legislature, organised labour and other stakeholders.
Speaking at the meeting, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Julius Ayanleke, said the exercise was aimed at reviewing and validating the draft bill before its presentation to the State Executive Council and subsequent consideration by the House of Assembly.
Ayanleke explained that the validation meeting followed an earlier stakeholders’ engagement in Oyo, where the draft legislation was finalised.
He described social protection as a collective responsibility, stressing that anyone could become vulnerable irrespective of their social or economic status.
He urged participants to take the exercise seriously, noting that the proposed legislation would provide a framework for addressing poverty and improving the welfare of residents across the state.
The Permanent Secretary commended the EU and UNICEF for supporting the development of a comprehensive social protection framework, emphasising that the initiative was driven by the needs of the people of Oyo State.
In her goodwill message, the Clerk of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Mrs Taiwo Murano Akinola, assured that the legislature would expedite consideration and passage of the bill once it was presented to the House.
She said the Assembly was committed to ensuring that vulnerable residents benefited from the proposed legislation.
Similarly, the UNICEF Lagos Office representative, Mr Mohammed Okorie, commended the state government for developing the bill to protect poor and vulnerable persons.
He reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to providing 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 an important instrument for safeguarding poor and vulnerable residents.
He commended the government and its development partners for their contributions to the initiative.
