ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding support for vulnerable residents, including widows, low-income families and small business owners facing economic challenges.
The assurance was given by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mrs Olayinka Ojo, during the Social Protection Policy Measures Onboarding and Adoption Workshop organised by the Social Protection Coordinating Department in Alausa, Ikeja.
Represented by the Director of the Monitoring and Evaluation Department, Mr Fuad Oyede, Ojo said the workshop was aimed at helping Ministries, Departments and Agencies integrate social protection principles and international best practices into their programmes.
According to her, the initiative is intended to deepen participants understanding of the state’s approved social protection policy measures while “equipping them with practical skills to design and implement interventions that reduce poverty, protect vulnerable residents and promote social inclusion.”
She noted that effective social protection requires collaboration among government agencies, improved targeting mechanisms and greater accountability to ensure assistance reaches those who need it most.
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Ojo said, “Our interventions will only be effective when we work together, improve our targeting and ensure that government support reaches the most vulnerable members of society.”
Also speaking, the Director of the Social Protection Coordinating Department, Mr Yusuf Semiu, acknowledged the progress made so far but stressed the need for further efforts to align Lagos State’s social protection programmes with international standards.
“I want to challenge representatives of participating Ministries, Departments and Agencies to assess the impact of their programmes by asking critical questions. Are interventions improving access to education? Are communities becoming more resilient to economic shocks and climate-related emergencies such as flooding? Are government programmes inclusive and gender-responsive?
“Answering these questions will help shape the next phase of the state’s social protection policy, which is due for review after completing its current five-year cycle.”
The Director of the Lagos Bureau of Statistics, Mr Tayo Oseni, described social protection as a key pillar of sustainable development alongside education, healthcare and economic growth.
“The implementing agencies need to take ownership of the initiative and maximise the state’s Single Social Register to identify and support residents who require government assistance,” Oseni stated.
In April, the Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, announced renewed efforts to strengthen its social protection framework by updating the state’s Single Social Register.
The exercise was carried out in collaboration with community-based targeting teams, local government coordinators and field enumerators across the state’s 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas.