A network of civil society organisations under the aegis of Katsina Social Protection Forum has recommended the provision of market intervention programmes for young men and women in the state.

This was part of recommendations of the CSOs’ forum contained in their policy brief at the end of a one-day meeting in Katsina on Monday.

The policy brief was presented by the Chairman of the forum, Abdulrahman Abdullahi.

After a series of deliberations, the forum said the recommendations were necessary to facilitate youth engagement in productive economic activities.

According to Mr Abdullahi, the forum also recommended the provision of disability benefits and necessary support to persons with special needs in the state.

Other recommendations he mentioned were the implementation of the SP policy, establishment of its Trust Fund, and provision of Social Insurance to the poor and vulnerable.

Mr Abdullahi said that the above mentioned would serve as a means of reducing the risk of shocks or job loss, revealing that the forum also sought for extension of contributory pension schemes to the informal sector.

He said, “The implementation of the recommendations will help a lot in reducing the rate of poverty and vulnerability in the state. With over 56.42 per cent poverty rate in the state, implementing an SP policy will be the best solution because it has proved to be a veritable tool for preventing and reducing poverty across the globe. It is paramount and long overdue for the state to holistically look at this statistical fact on poverty, which has a long-term effect on the general population of the state if not timely addressed.”

The SP is a set of policies, laws and programmes designed to reduce poverty and vulnerability.

These can be achieved by providing safety nets, promoting an efficient labour market, diminishing people’s exposure to risk and also enhancing their capacity to manage economic and social risk.

The state Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, with the support of UNICEF, reviewed and validated the state SP policy document, which was later signed and approved by Governor Dikko Radda.

Also, recently the ministry with the support of UNICEF embarked on a process to draft an SP Bill, as part of effort to facilitate the enactment of the SP law in the state.

(NAN)