Abuja – Ministry of Budget and National Planning has revalidated draft National Social Protection Policy Framework to fastrack the implementation of programmes to address extreme poverty among vulnerable groups, Mrs Zainab Ahmed says.
Ahmed, the Minister of State in the ministry said at a workshop in Abuja on Thursday that the policy was needed to fastrack government interventions on poverty reduction.
Ahmed said at the Workshop tittled; “National Social Protection Policy Framework by Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), that Nigerians needed the policy more than ever.
She said that the Presidential Social Intervention Initiative had been criticised for lack of policy framework.
“The National Social Protection Policy before you is the platform needed for fast tracking the implementation and justification of the president’s interventions.
“Shall we not fold our hands and pretend it does not matter to us and therefore allow the beautiful initiative of Mr president end up as dream and vision without reality.
“ This is why your participation is designed to validate the policy.
“It is designed to validate the policy as a cover for all forms of Social Protection and Safety Nets as being implemented by all MDAs responsible for one programme or the other.’’
Ahmed, however, emphasised that the ministry was not in any way subjugating any other ministry function as the ministry did not implement policies.
She said that the ministry articulated policies in line with the national plans and encouraged implementing MDAs to develop sector specific policies.
“The ministry encourages MDAs to develop sector specific policies that will enhance your implementation in line with the National Framework.
“There is no overlapping function of functions.
“We are here to acknowledge our mandates as departments of government but for the sake of the poor and voiceless we represent.
“I therefore, plead with everyone to look at the content of the policy and make recommendations that will positively affect the lives of the ordinary poor Nigerians.’’
In his presentation on the draft National Social Protection Policy, Dr Sunday Alonge of Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), said the government would implement a transformative social protection framework.
Alonge said that government would implement a policy which would take into consideration both economic and social forms of vulnerability.
“This is based on a framework whereby social protection will promote social equity and inclusive growth and it has four levels of social protection provisions,’’ he said.
Alonge, a Research Fellow with NISER, listed the provision as protective, preventive, promotive and transformative.
He said that government should ensure that no citizen fell below the minimum level social and economic wellbeing, security, and dignity enshrined in a Social Protection Floor.
“Based on constitutional provisions and international benchmarks, this Social Protection Floor for Nigeria shall be a minimum essential level of social rights, services and facilities that all citizens should enjoy,’’ Alonge said.
According to him, the policy covered eight sectors and 20 policy measures.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ministry had organised a nationwide consultation on policy framework across the six geopolitical zones to harvest inputs for the policy. (NAN)
