By Philip Yatai
Zaria (Kaduna State), Sept. 15, 2020 The Kaduna Social Accountability Coalition (KADSPAC), says it is re-strategising its approach to effectively engage relevant stakeholders to establish a social protection agency in Kaduna State.
The coalition’s Assistant Secretary, Mr Yusuf Goje, stated this at a two-day quarterly review meeting in Zaria.
Goje said that the decision to re-strategise followed the approval of the Social Protection Policy by the Kaduna State Government.
He explained that developing the strategy was also crucial in sensitisation of citizens about the policy to make the poor and vulnerable in the state buy into it.
“The development of the implementation plan is ongoing, as such, the need for effective advocacy for a legal framework needed to create a social protection agency.
“The agency, when established, will coordinate all social protection interventions in the state.
“We are, therefore, strategising on how to effectively engage the relevant Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs), as well as the State Assembly, to push for the development of the bill and its passage into law.
“Also, budget preparations for 2021 is ongoing at the state and Local Government levels and KADSPAC needs to engage the process to ensure adequate allocation of funds for social protection programmes at the state and local levels,’’ he said.
He added that the coalition would develop strategies on how to effectively track implementation of the policy and social protection programmes from the state to community level.
Goje said that community structures would be used across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
He added that KADSPAC would also plan media engagement to create the needed awareness and visibility of social protection activities in the state.
Also speaking, Mr Farouk Abdulkadir, Advocacy and Communication Coordinator, Save the Children International (SCI), said that the meeting was being supported by the UKAid-funded Child Development Grant Programme, Phase II.
Abdulkadir described social protection as a set of public policies, programmes and systems that help poor and vulnerable households to reduce their economic and social vulnerabilities.
“It also improves their ability to cope with risks and shocks and enhance their social status and human rights,” he added.
He said that Save the Children would continue to partner relevant stakeholders to strengthen systems for the delivery of social protection programmes in the state.