The Oyo State government is partnering the National Identity Management Commission, (NIMC), and the National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office, (NASSCO), to enhance the accuracy of the national social register.
Musbau Babatunde, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Oyo State, stated this in Oyo town at a three-day step-down training for field personnel.
According to him, the initiative that commenced on Thursday aims to improve social intervention programmes in Oyo State.
He explained that the field personnel will conduct an update on the social register, as the government plans to leverage the National Identification Number for efficient delivery of intervention programmes.
Babatunde, who spoke through Julius Ayanleke, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry, stated that the president recently directed that in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda, it is mandatory for all Cash Transfer Recipient Households to have the National Identification Number (NIN) and beneficiaries must be selected from the National Social Register (NSR) of the Poor and Vulnerable.
He said the register would “allow a unique identity to be assigned to beneficiaries in order to ensure social inclusion and transparency.”
The commissioner reiterated that the main objective of the training is to educate participants on the processes and procedures of Household Update and NIN Integration, introducing them to their roles and responsibilities during the conduct of the exercise.
He appreciated Governor Seyi Makinde for funding Community Based Targeting (CBT) exercise in the state aimed at expanding the State Social Register (SSR), charging the participants to contribute their own quota towards alleviating poverty in the state.
Lawal Malik, Zonal Targeting Officer, NASSCO, in his remarks who spoke on behalf of the National Programme Manager, stated that the State Social Register (SSR) plays a vital role in Social Safety Nets Programs, serving as a Single Unified database for targeting beneficiaries of Social interventions.
He said that the integration of NIN with the SSR will enhance the accuracy and efficiency of targeting mechanisms and ensure that the most vulnerable households receive the support needed.
Paul Popoola, state coordinator, NIMC, stressed the impact of data harmonisation for tracking interventions.
Ismail Salami, acting coordinator, Oyo State Operation Coordinating Unit (OYOSOCU), earlier in his welcome address, said that the state social register plays a vital role in social safety-net programmes.
