48% of Oyo residents multidimensionally poor, only 2% receive assistance — UNICEF warns

By Chioma Obinna

Nearly fractional of Oyo State’s residents are multidimensionally poor, yet lone 2 percent presently payment from immoderate signifier of societal assistance, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned.

The alarm was raised during the motorboat of the Supporting Sustainable Social Protection Systems successful Nigeria (SUSI) task successful Ibadan.

Speaking connected behalf of UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, Saeed Wafaa, UNICEF Chief of the Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, said societal extortion indispensable beryllium treated arsenic a lifeline alternatively than a luxury.

While commending Oyo State for initiatives specified arsenic its Social Protection Policy, the instauration of a Coordination Department, and programmes similar escaped basal education, schoolhouse feeding, and wellness insurance, Lafoucriere highlighted that 48.7 percent of residents and 72.7 percent of children stay multidimensionally poor, with lone 11 percent presently captured successful the societal registry.

“When we speech astir societal protection, we are talking astir dignity,” she said.

“We are talking astir that parent successful a agrarian assemblage who tin nonstop her kid to schoolhouse alternatively of the farm; families that tin entree healthcare without choosing betwixt medicine and food; and communities that tin upwind the storms of economical shocks due to the fact that they person systems that drawback them erstwhile they fall. The urgency for improved concern is now.”

Also speaking, UNICEF Programme and Social Policy Manager, Muhammad Okorie, said efforts were ongoing to grow the societal register.

“We request to summation the fig of households connected the authorities societal register. By the extremity of 2026, we expect that an further 250,000 households volition person been included,” helium explained.

At the launch, Acting Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Lawal, said the SUSI task would supply a modernised absorption accusation strategy that links crossed agencies.

“With the continued enactment of the European Union and different improvement partners, we are assured that we volition execute greater advancement successful deepening societal inclusion and gathering quality resilience,” Lawal said, urging citizens and stakeholders to enactment the initiative.

The SUSI task is jointly implemented by UNICEF and the International Labour Organization (ILO) with backing from the European Union.

The station 48% of Oyo residents multidimensionally poor, lone 2% person assistance — UNICEF warns appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.