The Oyo State Government has taken a step closer to creating a system to protect the most vulnerable people after validating its proposed Social Protection Bill.

The validation meeting was organised by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning with help from the European Union and the United Nations Childrens Fund under the SUSI Project. 

In a statement on Wednesday, the state Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, said it had gathered 48 people from government ministries, departments, agencies, the legislature, organised labour and other stakeholders.

At the meeting held at the Ibadan Business School, Bodija, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Julius Ayanleke, said the purpose of the exercise was to review the bill before it was presented to the State Executive Council and later considered by the state assembly.

Mr Ayanleke explained that the validation came after an engagement with stakeholders in Oyo, where the bill was finalised. 

He described protection as a shared duty, adding that anyone could become vulnerable no matter their economic or social status.

He added that the bill would give a framework to tackle poverty and improve the welfare of people over the state.

Also, the Clerk of the state assembly, Taiwo Akinola, assured that the legislature would speed up the review and passage of the Social Protection Bill once it was presented to the assembly.

The UNICEF Lagos Office representative, Mohammed Okorie, praised the state government for the initiative. 

Mr Okorie reaffirmed UNICEFs commitment offering technical help for the successful implementation of the bill.

Also, the Director of Legal Drafting at the Ministry of Justice, Dairo Titiloye, also described the bill as a step to protect poor and vulnerable residents.

The biill is expected to go to the State Executive Council before it’s presented to the assembly for review and possibly become law.