SOCIAL WELFARE RESEARCH GROUP (SOWERG)

SOCIAL WELFARE RESEARCH GROUP (SOWERG)

FOCUS: Too strengthen social security, health financing, income distribution and inequality

policies and Programmes through research and training

CORDINATOR: Rev. Fr. (Prof) H.E. Ichoku Email: hichoku@yahoo.com Phone: +234-805-702-8180

Motivation
In the face of high poverty incidence, greater inequality, persistent high unemployment and difficult economic conditions, the social security system has assumed a crucial role, providing income support for retrenched workers and helping to alleviate poverty and improve welfare of the aged and vulnerable groups. Social assistance reaches millions of people and benefits millions of others in beneficiary households. Social security promotes inclusion by ensuring that people who are unable to work, either permanently or temporarily, remain active in their communities.
Social security is part of the social wage, which includes access to housing, transport, sanitation, health services and basic infrastructure. In addition to its traditional role of providing citizens with a safety net, social security must also work hand-in-hand with policies to create jobs and raise standards of employment. Social security should not cultivate dependency, nor act as a disincentive to look for work.
The Nigerian social security system is constantly being reformed-leading to different social security programmes covering the aged, women, and vulnerable groups. Government effort in this direction is aimed at entrenching a fully functioning system that will support workers when they are out of work, and help to get them back into employment. And also to provide a safety net for the vulnerable group- provide income security in old age, and family support in the event of disability and death.
With the seeming sub-optimal social security programme and weak health care financing system in Nigeria, there is the need to strengthen the social security system as well as strengthen the health care financing system through research, training and advocacy. This forms the focus of the Social Welfare Research Group

Other Team Members

E.O. Nwosu (Ph.D) -Dept of Economics

R.K. Edeme (Ph.D) – Dept of Economics

N.E.Urama (Ph.D) – Dept of Economics

A.I. Ifelunini (Ph.D) –Dept of Economics

C.I. Mba (Ph.D) – Dept of Economics

S.E. Agueboh   – Dept of Economics

U.S. Anaduaka – Dept of Economics