Oyo moves to strengthen welfare delivery through new social protection law
By Adejayan Gbenga
The Oyo State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning has begun a major reform process aimed at establishing a comprehensive Social Protection Law to strengthen welfare delivery across the state.
The initiative, led by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Seun Ashamu, aims to harmonise existing social intervention programs into a unified legal framework that ensures sustainability, continuity, and long-term impact.
To advance the proposed legislation, the ministry, in collaboration with UNICEF and the European Union Support to Sustainable Social Protection Systems in Nigeria programme, convened a high-level stakeholders’ retreat.
The engagement brought together members of the Oyo State House of Assembly and other stakeholders to deliberate on the framework and expectations of the proposed bill.
Speaking at the retreat, Mr Ashamu said the reform is focused on institutionalising social protection in the state by integrating existing programmes into a coordinated system that guarantees continuity, accessibility, and sustainability.
He noted that Oyo State has implemented several intervention programmes over the years, including cash transfers, the Oyo State Health Insurance Scheme, and agricultural support initiatives.
According to him, the proposed law would enhance coordination among these programmes and ensure their continuity for greater impact, explaining that the bill seeks to make social protection a statutory responsibility, with provisions for sustained funding and effective implementation.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, assured that the legislature would give the bill accelerated consideration once formally presented, adding that the proposed bill would receive swift legislative approval once submitted.
