FIWON PROPOSED A BILL ON SOCIAL ASSISTANCE

Comrade Gbenga Komolafe
Executive Secretary FIWON

The Nigeria Social Assistance Bill as proposed by the Federation of Informal Workers’ Organizations of Nigeria (FIWON) has been sent to the National Assembly for consideration and enactment into law.

The bill when passed into law is meant to provide a system of welfare assistance including free health care and payment of welfare grants to indigent senior citizens, disabled citizens and indigent pregnant women and thereby achieving a minimum standard of living.

As identified by FIWON, the bill will be an effective tool to reduce poverty, destitution and vulnerability suffered by the disabled, the aged and indigent pregnant women, thereby assisting in human capital development.

While speaking on the Nigeria Social Assistance Bill, the Executive Secretary of FIWON, Mr. Gbenga Komolafe said the major goal of the bill is to produce social assistance for vulnerable persons. He stated further that the bill will be beneficial to the society at large and not only to the old aged, disabled and pregnant women.

In response to the proposed bill, the National Assembly through the office of the President said that the bill will be studied and forwarded to the appropriate committee for further actions.

Hopefully, when the bill is enacted into law, Nigeria can join the Comity of Nations where citizens are ensured of living quality lifestyles irrespective of social or physical challenges.