The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, wants the Oyo State Government to reinforce policy frameworks and integrate financial mechanisms into its state budgets and planning efforts in ways that are sustainable and scalable.
The Chief of UNICEF Field Office for South-west Nigeria based in Lagos, Celine Lafoucriere made the call at the lunch of the “Sustainable Social Systems Project” meant to protect the poorest of the poor, in Ibadan the Oyo State capital.
The gathering which brought together state government officials, representatives of Civil Society organizations, development partners and a cross section of the poorest of the poor in the society witnessed the presentations by UNICEF of the scary statistics of the most vulnerable people in the State which is the reason for the initiative.
Celine who expressed joy at the launch said, social protection is not a luxury, but a lifeline and about dignity.
According to her, it is also about that mother in a rural community who can send her child to school instead of the farm, families that can access healthcare without choosing between medicine and food and communities that can weather the storms of economic shocks because they have systems that catch them when they fall.
Celine stated “most families and communities can only make informed choices when covered by social protection systems.
“But let me tell you what excites me most about this project. It is not just about systems and structures; it is about enhancing Oyo State’s shock-responsiveness capabilities.” She stated “Oyo State government had taken some steps in the area of the Social Protection Policy, strategic and operational but technical challenges still exist thereby limiting coverage for the most vulnerable – especially children, women, the elderly, and people living with disabilities”.”
In the current context, about 48.7% of the entire population and 72.7% of children (0-17 years) remain multi- dimensionally poor with only 11% captured in the social register of poor and vulnerable, adding that, “With about 2% of the Oyo State population not receiving any form of social assistance, the urgency for improved investment in social protection is now! ” Celine admonished.
The Oyo State Deputy Governor, Mr Bayo Lawa said the State had consistently prioritize Social Protection as a corner stone for governance agenda as deliberate investment had also been made to reduce poverty, expand healthcare coverage and improve access to targeted social interventions.
The Deputy Governor explained that the state had moved past UNICEF projections which may only be applicable to other states because policies in Oyo State are intentional.
The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning Professor Musbau Babatunde says the programme has a lot of opportunities that will reduce vulnerabilities that will bring about inclusiveness aimed at reducing poverty and inequality while leaving nobody behind.
The UNICEF Social Policy Manager/ OIC, UNICEF Lagos Field Office, Mr Muhammad Okorie said that the project is being implemented in four states and Abuja of which Oyo State is one and the reason is because the government of Oyo State is committed and the existing framework in the state is on-course.
Mr Okorie stated that while celebrating Oyo state for having Social Protection Policy in place, “there are still some gaps which ranges from Social Protection across board which is not optimum and multidimensional child poverty which is about seventy – two point seven percent according to the report in 2022.
“Although Oyo is doing great in terms of Social Register as the plan is now focused on who is poor and vulnerable and not on assumptions noting that, there is still about three percent of the total state population not captured in the NSR, hence a lot still needed to be done”. he advised
According to Okorie, State government must be intentional in capturing everyone in order to achieve the desired results.
Reporting by Julie Ekong