Group seeks social protection policy for Nigerians to tackle poverty, vulnerability, others

• NANS wants arrest of Dauda over alleged extortion, bribery case against Shehu Sani

A group, Social Protection Practitioners, has said that a robust social protection policy will help to tackle vulnerability, poverty and ensure inclusive growth among Nigerians.

The practitioners also urged government at all levels to move away from programmes to “systems that would address and operationalise the country’s social protection policy, a system that is positioned to address and respond to unpredictable shocks and a system that is politically and financially sustainable.”

The practitioners gave the advice yesterday at a social protection practitioners and academics dialogue held in Abuja with the theme: ‘’Social Protection, Effective Strategy for Lifting 100 million Nigerians out of Poverty’’, organised by the practitioners in collaboration with the Federal Government, Non-Governmental Organisations and the academia.

In her welcome address, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Investment Programme, Mrs. Maryam Uwais, said that the government should build a system that is inclusive, sustainable, comprehensive and part of the broader development of agenda and vision for the country.

She said: ‘’For most Nigerians, a robust social protection system helps those left behind to get back on their feet, provide them with the opportunity to access essential services such as education and healthcare. Nigeria requires an agency that engages and co-ordinates all efforts to achieve better results for the citizens.’’

Also, the National Co-ordinator, Community and Social Development Project (CSDP), Dr. Abdulkarim Obaje, said that the project had approved 14,477 MPs in 5,041 communities and over 11,000 had been completed, spreading across water, education, health, rural electrification, transport, natural resources, community housing, as well as socio-economic, especially in the North-East.

In another development, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called for the arrest of Alhaji Sani Dauda over the case of alleged extortion and bribery also involving Senator Shehu Sani.

Dauda had petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission alleging that Sani extorted $20,000 from him with a promise to settle Acting Chairman of the anti-graft agency, Ibrahim Magu and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad so that he will not be investigated for corruption.

But while briefing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the students’ body, led by its President, Gambo Abubakar Muhammad, said that in the case of Dauda vs Shehu Sani, the accuser had self-confessed to giving bribe with the intent to subvert justice and should not be allowed to walk freely.

The students, who insisted that due process must be followed in prosecuting the case, said that they would shut down the judiciary should they perceive any attempt to subvert justice.