Federal Government to review social protection policy for next four years

The Federal Government has inaugurated a Technical Working Group for the review of the National Social Protection Policy 2021-2025.

Speaking at the occasion, in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Olusola Idowu, said that the inauguration was aimed at bringing together all relevant stakeholders for the review of the National Social Protection Policy (NSP).

Its implementation which had commenced in 2007 is billed to end in  December 2020. According to Idowu, the main essence of the review was to accommodate some emerging issues on social protection programme across sectors at both the national and sub-national levels of government.

She stated that the policy recommended its review to be carried out every four years and that the implementation of the policy was currently in the 3rd year. The Permanent Secretary also stated that Nigeria needed to see COVID 19 as an opportunity to strengthen her social protection programme as well as intervention strategies to accommodate all relevant actors and sectors of the social protection.

She added that the Group would be expected to come up with a revised edition of the current National Social Protection given the following terms of reference:- Evaluate the efficiency of the National Social Protection Policy in addressing social protection of the vulnerable people since 2017; Incorporate all relevant global emerging issues in social protection; and Establish clear roles and responsibilities for all relevant stakeholders in social protection in Nigeria, amongst others.

Earlier, the Director, Department of Social Development , Budget and National Planning, Mr. A.B Sa’ Adu, noted that the overall objective of the gathering was to commence the review of the social protection policy as well as ensure its responsiveness to emerging issues in social protection.

Charging the Group, the Director said “Our collective efforts and collaboration is key to achieving the objective of this national assignment”