The National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office, NASSCO has described Nigeria’s National Social Register, NSR, as the most credible database in the country.
This was NASSCO’s submission at the first Annual Ministerial Dialogue on the National Social Register organised by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
The National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office, NASSCO said the National Social Register is the most comprehensive database for the poor and vulnerable in the country.
According to him, the objective of the Dialogue was to socialise the NSR as the go-to National and State database for pro-poor Social development intervention.
The National Coordinator, NASSCO, Mr Apera Iorwa said the Dialogue would create awareness and utilisation of the National Social Register by establishing the gateway for further collaboration with relevant stakeholders on poverty reduction, social protection and humanitarian intervention.
” About 15 per cent of unemployed youths were captured in the NSR”.
“No fewer than 11 million Nigerians were without any form of education,“ he disclosed.
Mr Iorwa added that the NSR was a good tool for effective planning for all sphere of development in the country.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, FCDO, in Nigeria, said it was proud to support the Nigerian Government in the face of humanitarian challenges.
Speaking via Zoom, the Head of Social Development, of the FCDO, Christine Kolbe further noted that Civil Society Organisations have a key role to play to ensure that the aim of the National Social Register comes to fruition.
Commending the Nigerian Government, Kolbe added that the government of the US was committed to supporting the NSR.
“The National Social Register is evident to its commitment at ensuring the sustainability and stability of the social protection agenda in agenda,“ Kolbe noted.
For his part, the Head of Dialogue, International Labour Organisation, David Dorkenoo said the NSR will contribute to the socioeconomic development of Nigeria.
“The Social Register will enable the expansion of the target group of the vulnerable within Nigeria, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Stakeholders at the dialogue also called for collaboration and open dialogue.
PIAK
