Stakeholders in Ondo State have raised alarm over the effectiveness of the state’s social protection policy after findings showed that 64 per cent of people with disabilities are unaware of any existing social protection programme.
A new report also revealed that only nine per cent of households benefited from welfare interventions in the past year, while 75 per cent have never received any support, despite the passage of a Social Protection Law in 2016.
At a dialogue on social protection held in Akure under the Act Naija Project, implemented by the New Initiatives for Social Development (NISD) in collaboration with the state’s Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, participants called for a total review of the policy to ensure transparency, inclusiveness, and sustainable funding.
They identified weak coordination, irregular disbursements, and poor monitoring as major obstacles limiting the success of current programmes.
Adedoyin Patrick, NISD’s Project Officer in Ondo, explained that the poor coverage shows the urgent need for reforms that will improve citizens’ participation and ensure that vulnerable groups including women, young people, and persons with disabilities are adequately covered.
He added that while 80 per cent of interventions in the state come from government agencies and 20 per cent from NGOs, most residents remain uninformed about them.
NISD Project Manager, Steve Tsado, stressed that social protection must be regarded as a basic right rather than charity. “Providing social protection is not a favour; it is the entitlement of citizens,” he said.
Speaking at the event, Idowu Philip, representing the agency for Persons with Disabilities, decried the persistent marginalisation of PWDs despite ongoing advocacy for inclusion. Similarly, Ondo State NUJ Chairman, Leke Adegbite, criticised the poor execution of existing programmes, calling for more accountability and commitment from policymakers.
