By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
An NGO, the Hope For Nigeria and Skills Empowerment Foundation has said the assurance of a better Nigeria as promised by President Bola Tinubu, would be realized with the policies that are meant to improve the living standard of over fifty million Nigerians and would lead to creating a stable economy for all Nigerians.
The Foundation also stated that it’s also working towards assisting and partners with the Federal Government, through facilitation from National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) to ensure the process of data collection is carried out seamlessly.
The organisation’s President Kerry Kenu S. who disclosed this while briefing journalists, commended the effort of the Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of his President Tinubu.
He said the press conference was organised on the Federal Government’s intervention and the update of the National Social Register (NSR) and the State Social Register (SSR).
Mr. Kerry said they have put together mechanisms to ensure the process captures all the deserving beneficiaries, and have set-up offices in the 36 States and the FCT to ensure the process of collation is effective, with emails addrrsses and phone numbers.
They also commended the effort of the Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Tinubu and the Federal Government putting the place policies to ensure the effect of the fuel subsidy removal becomes an advantage to the people of Nigeria.
“The assurance of a better Nigeria as promised would be realized with the policies that is meant to improve the living standard of over fifty million (50,000,000) Nigerians, thereby creating a stable economy for all Nigerians.
“The Federal Government through the National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office (“NASSCO”), with support from the World Bank have the mandate to establish the building blocks and delivery of targeted cash transfers and livelihood supports to the extremely poor and vulnerable households in Nigeria.
“NASSCO developed the National Social Register which is a database of the poor and vulnerable households in Nigeria, built by State through their Ministry of planning with facilitation from NASSCO.
“The Government and eligible partners can use the register to determine the eligibility of individuals into social programs targeting poverty and vulnerability. NASSCO have set up a thorough mechanism through three (3) targeting methods which are: Geographical Targeting.
“Community Based Targeting and Proxy Means Test. These methods are fully implemented during the process to ensure an accurate database is provided an added to the National Social Register.
“The National Social Register is then available to organizations that implement programs in Agriculture, Healthcare, Education and Livelihood for the vulnerable population can apply to mine from the National Social Register, as the database provided are accurate as earlier stated and are guaranteed to reach deserving beneficiaries”, he stated.
He stated that “Our organization is working to ensure we assist and partner with the Federal Government, through facilitation from NASSCO to ensure the process of data collection is carried out seamlessly.
“We have put together mechanisms to ensure the process captures all the deserving beneficiaries. We have set-up offices in the 36 States and the FCT to ensure the process of collation is effective. We are also engaging over fifty thousand (50,000) Nigerians in the process to ensure we reach the communities.
“Our targeted reach is over twenty million (20,000,000) individuals which also include vulnerable households. The process would involve sensitization on the National Social Register,
“Account Opening and setup of centers for cash transactions in the communities that do not have access to such facilities and training on use of cash transfer processes.
“The organization structure is tailored towards reaching each zone in the country, the organization’s Northern Zonal head, Mr. Solomon Bulus pledged his commitment to reach the 19 States in the North, with communities that would be hard to reach, the main target.
“Also, the South South Coordinator, Amb. Emmanuel Chukwudozie Emeka, have mapped out several modalities to ensure a data collation of the over five million (5,000,000) poorest of the poor allocated to the region, especially those in the creeks.
“Spamming the 6 States and 123 Local Government Areas, and assures that no community or region will be left out. The South East Zonal Coordinator, Amb. Robinson Ezike said he will enage all traditional, religious, vigilante, ward, clan leaders as well as the youth groups in the various communities to cover the 5 States in the South East.
“The South West Zonal Head, Mrs Obeta Ogechi, said she would take the well-being of the communities as her primary mission, that the strategies such as Local outreach, Cultural sensitivity, Community Workshops/Training, Youth Engagement, Collaboration with Local leaders and data protection., the Western States will be covered and assured that she will leave no one behind.
“The Zonal Coordinators resolve extends to our State Coordinators, Local Government Coordinators and Workers who would be fully engaged in the accurate data delivery.
“Our organization went further to seek strategic partnership with the MORUBU Grassroots Foundation. The Founder/President of the Organization, Mr. Matthew Orubu Ovie believes no community is destined to be poor.
“And his organization have over the years invested in the future with an aim to provide, contribute and empower All on the Grassroots level.
“He knows the National Social Registry aligns with such goals and assure Nigerian that the MORUBU Foundation will do her utmost to deliver the needed data for the National Social Register. Other partners include: Heart of Gold Initiative Noble Living Initiative
The Honeycomb Foundation
“The organization has four (4) major strategies it will use to build the Social Register which are: Geographical selection of Local Government Areas and wards using high resolution poverty maps based on satellite imagery and remote sensing.
“Community engagement and sensitization using our Focus Group Discussion with community groups to establish a set of poor and vulnerable households in the community and publicly discuss, develop and harmonize a community list as generated by the focus group.
“Enumerate each household using Community Based Targeting Team (CBTT) comprising of our State, LGA and Ward coordinators in all the LGAs of the entire North. They are to capture the demographic and socio-economic status of each household member.
“Data is being collected using a mobile app and stored in an electronic database for cleaning; Enumerated household data is now received and cleaned. Cleaned data is now stored in the State Social Register (SSR) supported through the Management Information System (MIS) and managed by the State Operations and Coordinating Unit (SOCU). Finally, the SSR is then electronically transmitted to the NSR for State, Federal and International interventions”, he stated.
