The Ekiti State House of Assembly has passed a bill for a law to provide welfare assistance in form of cash grants or in – kind assistance to elderly persons who are residents in Ekiti State.
The bill seeks to provide for a system of welfare assistance including free health care and payment for welfare grants to the elderly as a way to reduce old age poverty in our state.
The bill was passed after the Chairman of the House Committee on public service Matters, Employment Establishment and Human Capital Development, Hon. Sunday Adu presented its committee report on the bill to the house.
A public Hearing had earlier been organized on the bill, where participants that consisted of mainly elderly people expressed joy at the introduction of the programme by the Fayemi-Administration, the participants canvassed for the expansion of the programme for
more people to benefit.
The State Commissioner for Labour production and Human Capital, Development Mr. Wole Adewumi, who was also present at the public hearing, urged the Lawmakers to give the bill an accelerated passage to give legal backing to the programme.
The House Majority Leader, Hon. Churchill Adedipe who moved the motion for the acceptance and consideration of the Committee report, urged his colleagues to pass the bin so that the programme will have the necessary legal backing that would guarantee its sustenance.
Hon. Adedipe observed that the programme was in line with the policy enshrined in chapter 11 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria as amended with particular reference to section 14(2) and 17 of the constitution.
The bill was unanimously approved by all the lawmakers and was read for the third time by the clerk of the House, Mr. Akintunde Famoyegun.
Last modified: March 14, 2012
