By Ahmed Musa
The National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) says it has captured more than 68 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians into the National Social Register (NSR).
NASSCO disclosed yesterday in its verified social media handle on Instagram, narco Nigeria.
The agency also explained that the figure represented 19 million vulnerable Households across the 36 states and the FCT.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NSR aims to create a comprehensive database of poor and vulnerable households in the country.
This is to assist the government in designing, coordinating, and integrating social safety-net programmes into social protection systems, including the distribution of Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT) to vulnerable Nigerians.
Ms Funmi Olotu, the National Coordinator of NASSCO, said in her mission statement that the national social register would ensure that social protection initiatives are targeted, impactful, and evidence-based.
” Our goal is not just to help but to create a lasting platform that empowers families and communities to overcome the daily challenges they face. We are committed to transparency,” she said.
*Mixed reaction trail N25,000 monthly conditional cash transfers
However, some Nigerians have expressed mixed reactions over the process of disbursement of the CCT to beneficiaries.
Mr Dantala Ahmed, an enrolee of the defunct N-Power Programme in Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT, told NAN that the current distribution of N25 000 was not transparent like the previous ones.
” In 2019, we were given physical cash because the coordinators came down to Gwagwalada, and we were asked to queue up. Once your name appears in the register, you will be called to collect the money.
” But, now we are leaving in the dark, we don’t know what is going on; sometimes we see adverts on social media that the Federal Government will resume payment of N25,000 CCT,” he said.
On his part, Mr Mohammed Awwal, a beneficiary of the N25,000 CCT from Kpako Ward in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, offered a different view on the distribution of the CCT.
Awwal said the process was transparent and digitalized because coordinators entered the electoral ward to register people with National Identity Numbers (NIN).
” As a beneficiary of the N25,000 CCT, I can attest that the process is transparent because the coordinators came to our ward, registered us with our NIN, and gave us ATM Cards.
” As I am saying, I received N25,000 in January this year. They said the total money is N75,000, and they will pay it in three tranches.
” So, I think the government wants to digitalise the system and avoid giving people physical cash to ensure accountability,” he said.
