LAGOS INAUGURATES SOCIAL PROTECTION STEERING COMMITTEE

Lagos State Government has inaugurated a 26-member Social Protection Steering Committee in ensuring that the State’s effort to improve the lives of the poor and vulnerable with the utilization of the Single Social Register is achieved.

The committee, inaugurated at the Conference room of the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, which would be chaired by the Ministry’s Commissioner, Mr. Ope George, also had some members of the State Executive Council in the board, namely: Commissioners – Mr. Akinyemi Ajigbotafe (Wealth Creation and Employment); Ms. Abisola Olusanya (Agriculture); Mrs. Bolaji Cecilia Dada (Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation); Mr. Gebenga Omotoso (Information and Strategy).

Prof. Akin Abayomi (Health); Mr. Mobolaji Ogunlende (Youth & Social Development); Mr. Kayode Robert (Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development); Barr. Tokunbo Wahab (The Environment); Mr. Tolani Sule (Tertiary Education); Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun (Basic & Secondary Education); Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih-Awokoya (Special Adviser, SDGs).

Mr. George, inaugurating the committee said: “Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has emphasized his commitment to positively impacting the lives of Lagosians, with over 20 socio-functional MDAs, 90 social interventions, and N140B in budgetary allocations, there is a clear need for coordinated social protection efforts.

“The State’s commitment includes a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government and World Bank for the $800m National Social Safety-Nets Project Scale-Up NASSP-SU, which provides financial support to vulnerable households.

“The Lagos State Social Protection Policy, approved in 2020, aims for improved livelihoods, health, education, gender equality, youth employment, and overall human capital development.

“The Social Protection Council will oversee the implementation of policies and programs for the vulnerable. The newly established Social Protection Coordinating Department will coordinate efforts, recognize the Lagos State Single Social Register as a state asset, ensure resource mobilization, foster partnerships, monitor initiatives, and advocate for policy reforms.

“On this note, I hereby inaugurate you all as members of the Lagos State Social Protection Steering Committee,” he said.

Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC Lagos State Council, Comrade Agnes Sessi said “the Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu in furtherance with his THEMEs+ agenda in ensuring Social Protection for Lagosians would empower many people in diverse areas, the vulnerables, the elderly, the unemployed, even those in the informal sector.

“With the Social Protection Steering Committee that has been inaugurated today, we will see the roll out of many of the Social Protection policies and implementation,” she said.

Appreciating the efforts of Governor Sanwo-Olu led administration in ameliorating the livelihood of Lagosians especially in these hard times, the NLC comrade said it would help a lot in building a better country if other governors can emulate him (Sanwo-Olu) for paying all Pensioners’ backlogs up-to-date, which has not happened in many of the states.

In his welcome address, Coordinating Director, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget and doubles as the committee’s Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Olajide said “the inauguration of the steering committee is a prerequisite for achieving coordination and collaboration aimed at expanding coverage of shock responsive safety nets, and support for the poor and vulnerable”.

Taking the committee through the Lagos Single Social Register, LSSR as a State asset, which would be mined by Social Focal Persons in MDAs for implementation of social protection purposes, Mrs. Kemi Adedeji, Director of Social Protection Coordinating Department (SPDC), said the LSSR has covered about 70 percent of communities in the State.

The committee deliberated and agreed that the Social Register is a dynamic process, hence; charged the SPDC to keep checks and validate the LSSR from time to time to assure that the right target in the communities are met as beneficiaries of the various palliatives and support that would be coming from state government.

Completing the committee are: Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs, Poverty Alleviation & Job Creation, Hon. Lara Oyekan-Olumegbon; Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Dr. Emmanuella Zamba; Director-General, Lagos State Pension Commission, Mr. Babalola Obilana; General Manager, Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal; Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC Lagos State Council, Comrade Agnes Sessi; Director, Social and Labour Affairs, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, Mrs. Adenike Adebayo-Ajala and Chairman, Lagos Civil Society Participation for Development (LACSOP), Mr. Ayo Adebusoye; Chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON); Executive Director, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund; Regional Coordinator, National Identity Management Agency (NIMC); State Coordinator, National Health Insurance Authority; Representative of UNICEF and the Director, State Cash Transfer Unit (SCTU).