The Oyo State Government has partnered with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) to enhance the accuracy of the National Social Register (NSR).
According to a statement signed by Dotun Oyelade, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, and made available to New Telegraph, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Musbau Babatunde, disclosed this in Oyo Town during a three-day step-down training for field personnel.
Babatunde explained that the initiative, which commenced on Thursday, aims to improve social intervention programs in the state.
He noted that field personnel will conduct an update of the social register, as the government plans to leverage the National Identification Number (NIN) for more efficient delivery of intervention programs.
Speaking through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Julius Ayanleke, Babatunde said that President Bola Tinubu recently directed that, in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda, all Cash Transfer Recipient Households must have a National Identification Number (NIN) and beneficiaries must be selected from the National Social Register (NSR) of the Poor and Vulnerable.
He emphasized that the social register would allow for the unique identification of beneficiaries, ensuring social inclusion and transparency in social intervention programs.
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 exercise.
He also commended Governor Seyi Makinde for funding the Community-Based Targeting (CBT) Exercise, which aims to expand the State Social Register (SSR), and urged participants to contribute to efforts aimed at poverty alleviation in the state.
In his remarks, Lawal Malik, the Zonal Targeting Officer of NASSCO, who spoke on behalf of the National Programme Manager, highlighted the critical role of the State Social Register (SSR) in Social Safety Net Programs.
He described the SSR as a single unified database for targeting beneficiaries of social interventions.
He further explained that the integration of NIN with the SSR will improve the accuracy and efficiency of targeting mechanisms, ensuring that the most vulnerable households receive the necessary support.
Also speaking, the State Coordinator of NIMC, Paul Popoola, stressed the importance of data harmonization in tracking interventions effectively.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Acting Coordinator of the Oyo State Operation Coordinating Unit (OYOSOCU), Ismail Salami, reiterated that the state social register plays a vital role in social safety-net programs.
