From Mustapha Adamu, Kano
Action Against Hunger has appealed to Kano state government to come up with a law for implementation of social protection programme.
Action Against Hunger, a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) made the appeal at a Media Round Table Discussion on Child Development Grant Programme (CDGP), a project it founded in 2014 as part of its committment to engage governments in Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa and Zamfara states to implement social protection programme.
Speaking at the meeting, held at Chillas Luxury Suites in Kano yesterday, the Project Manager of the NGO, Stella Esedunme said the meeting was organised in order to call the attention of Kano state government to implement social protection policy.
According to her, the call is timely in view of the poverty level of the state despite several social investment programmes, adding that the policy would reduce the poverty rate in the second most populous state in the country.
She noted that it is better for governments to use the fund it releases in social investment programmes to strengthen social protection programme.
“Social protection is the right of a citizen. Therefore governments should make it a law to ensure that citizens, especially vulnerable are enjoying social protection.
“ Social protection does not necessarily mean to be giving money to people but to strengthen the system that would fight poverty and uplift the life of the public,” she said.
She however stared that misplacement of priorities is the major aspect hindering the success of social protection programme in the country, adding that lack of data is also a snag to the achievement of the project.
“Lack of data is a big blow on the struggle to achieve social protection programme. We don’t have the number of vulnerable people in the society.
“ With social protection programme, even this security challenges would not have been happening. So, we call on the governmenta of these four states to rise up to this challenge and make laws on social protection,” she appealed.
The Programme Manager therefore tasked media practitioners to be up and doing to enlighten the government and general public on the importance of social protection programme.
