From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has been urged to sign the Social Security bill before him into law as soon as possible to help reduce the current economic policy shocks on poor and vulnerable people resident in the state.
The Kaduna State House of Assembly had on Thursday, June 8, this year passed the Social Security Bill after about two years of stakeholders’ engagement around the executive bill.
According to the 2022 Multi-dimensional Poverty Index Survey published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Kaduna State has more poor people (8.04 million only second to Kano at 10.51million) than the poorest State, Sokoto (5.81 million).
That NBS survey revealed that In Kaduna State, the incidence of multidimensional poverty is above 70%, higher than the incidence of monetary poverty, which is above 43%. More disturbingly, the state is among four states that are home to one-quarter of the 22.85 million poor children under five.
In an assessment piece titled “Kaduna State 2023 approved budget, financing social protection”, Lead, Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment and Development (CALPED) Mr Yusuf Ishaku Goje noted that since the welfare of the people is a primary responsibility of government, deliberate actions like provision of social protection should be taken to make that mandate a reality across all tiers of government.
Breaking down the Kaduna State 2023 approved budget concerning social protection implementing ministries, departments and agencies of the state government Goje observed that N15.4 billion representing 4.0% (N10.6bn for personnel, N3.1bn for overhead and N1.5bn for capital expected expenditures) of the total 2023 approved budget of N376.4 billion.
“The breakdown of expenditure allocations to social protection by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are as follows: State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) – N150.6 million; Kaduna State Legislature – N201.4 million; Kaduna State Bureau of Pension – N81.7 million; Ministry of Finance – N9.5 billion; 200 Zaria Metropolitan Authority – N144.1 million; Ministry of Human Services and Social Development – N1.1 billion; Kaduna State Disability Affairs Board – N304.6 million; Kaduna State Social Investment Office (KADSIO) – N1.9 billion; Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) – N437.4 million; Ministry for Local Government Affairs – N1 billion.
“Furthermore, social protection capital expenditure by the project includes the Construction of the Kaduna State Youth Parliament in zone 1, 2 & 3 – N10.8 million; Construction of the Kaduna State Children’s Parliament in zone 1, 2 & 3 – N12.7 million; Diversion Programme (Counterpart Funding) – N15 million; Expand Livelihood Support and Grants for the Poor and Vulnerable Households for Human Development – 10.3 million; and Procurement of Mobility, Learning/Hearing Aids, etc for Gender & Vulnerable Groups (GVG) – N5.3 million.
“Interestingly, the above-mentioned capital expenditures all had zero performance as of September in the now-ended 2022 budget. Also, some of the social protection capital expenditures that got allocations in the ended 2022 budget but did not get in that of 2023 are Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs); Support/Assistance for the Completion of 23Nos. Community Self Help Project; Disability Trust Fund; Grant B – Grants for Gender & Vulnerable Groups; Grant A-Community Development plan; Grant C – Labour Intensive Public Workfare (LIPWF).
“Again, out of these social protection expenditures as of September 2022, only the Disability Trust Fund (N99.9 million out of the 100 million budgeted) was captured to have performed, the remaining had zero performance. This is disturbing considering the high level of poverty and vulnerability in the state.
“According to the Multi-dimensional Poverty Index Survey, 2022, published by the NBS, Kaduna State has poorer residents (8.04 million, only second to Kano at 10.51million) than the poorest state, Sokoto (5.81 million). In the state, the incidence of multidimensional poverty is above 70%, higher than the incidence of monetary poverty, which is above 43%. More disturbingly, the state is among four states that are home to one-quarter of the 22.85 million poor children under five.
“Furthermore, 29% in terms of deprivation in school attendance for school-aged children; 73% of households were deprived of sanitary facilities; 64% of households by deprivation in access to clean drinking water; and 97% of households by deprivation in cooking fuel.
“This is made worse by the high dependency rate (population: 49% are below 14 years and 67% are below 24 years) as well as the rising unemployment and underemployment rate in the state at 44.3% and 22.6% respectively, according to the NBS.
“At this point, a call on Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, to sign the Social Security bill into law is necessary. As this will go a long way in ensuring better coordination, financing and implementation of social protection programmes in the state. Mr Governor sir, the ball is in your court and all eyes are on you”, he appealed.