Accuracy boost: Oyo Govt teams up with NIMC, NASSCO on social register

Stanley Ihedigbo

Oyo State Government has teamed up with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) to boost the accuracy of the national social register.

The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof. Musbau Babatunde 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.

Prof Babatunde, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry, Mr. Julius Ayanleke 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.

In his remarks, the Zonal Targeting Officer, NASSCO, Mr. Lawal Malik 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 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.

The State Coordinator, NIMC, Mr Paul Popoola, stressed the impact of data harmonisation for tracking interventions.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Acting Coordinator, Oyo State Operation Coordinating Unit (OYOSOCU) Mr Ismail Salami, said the state social register plays a vital role in social safety-net programmes.