The Federal Government has called on Local Government Chairmen across Nigeria to intensify efforts towards identifying and capturing more poor and vulnerable households in the National Social Register as part of ongoing social protection reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The call was made by the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, during a High-Level Stakeholder Engagement with Local Government Chairmen convened by the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO).
Speaking at the engagement, the minister said local governments remain the closest level of government to the people and are critical to the success of federal social intervention programmes aimed at supporting vulnerable Nigerians.
According to her, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs is working to strengthen the resilience and wellbeing of families through programmes focused on women empowerment, poverty reduction, youth development, family cohesion and inclusive social protection systems.
She said the credibility of the National Social Register depends largely on accurate data generated at the community level, noting that Local Government Chairmen have a major role to play in ensuring deserving households are not excluded from government support programmes.
“The success of the National Social Register depends heavily on the credibility and integrity of the data generated at the community level,” she said.
She further urged local government authorities to support the ongoing National Identification Number (NIN) integration exercise to improve transparency and reduce exclusion affecting rural dwellers, women, persons with disabilities and other underserved populations.
“I therefore urge all Local Government Chairmen to intensify efforts towards community-level sensitisation and enrolment to ensure that eligible citizens are not denied access to critical government interventions and social safety programmes,” the minister stated.
The minister also highlighted the Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention 774 initiative, describing it as one of the ministry’s flagship programmes designed to deepen grassroots empowerment and strengthen community-based social protection mechanisms across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.
According to her, the programme reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring the benefits of democracy reach poor households and vulnerable citizens nationwide.
She added that local governments would play a strategic role in identifying vulnerable families, supporting women-focused initiatives, mobilising communities and ensuring government interventions get to those who need them most.
The minister also linked the engagement to the National Women Mega Empowerment and Rally Initiative launched by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, saying the initiative aims to strengthen grassroots mobilisation, social inclusion and economic empowerment for women across the federation.
She stressed that strengthening local leadership would help strengthen families and communities, which in turn would contribute to national development and social stability.
The stakeholder engagement had in attendance the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; representatives of the World Bank; Executive Director of NEXIM Bank, Stella Okotete; senior government officials; development partners; and Local Government Chairmen from across the country.
