Sokoto Targets 250,000 Households In Social Register

Sokoto State commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Abubakar Muhammad Zayyana, has described social register as a crucial document providing credible and transparent data for social protection programmes.

Dr Abubakar Zayyana stated this at a one-day orientation meeting for seven pilot local government teams and stakeholders on the multidimensional model of the National Social Register in the state.

He noted that the social register provides a data-driven policy for the government and partners to make informed planning decisions for interventions targeting beneficiaries and assessing their impact.

Dr Zayyana who emphasised the state government’s focus on results rather than outcomes, charged stakeholders to work diligently towards achieving the desired goals.

The Chief of UNICEF, Sokoto Field Office, Mr Michael Juma, represented by a social policy specialist, Mr Isah Ibrahim, said the new multidimensional social register approach is aimed at integrating most deprived households to the basic services, including children fundamental rights to education, nutrition, health, birth certificate, access to water and sanitation, among others.

The social policy specialist, therefore, appealed to the local government teams to cooperate with the enumerators and other teams for the successful expansion of the social register in order to integrate the target 250,000 households across the state.

In a remark, the chairman of Shagari local government, Barrister Maidawa Kajiji, who spoke on behalf of the chairmen of the seven local governments, gave a pass mark to the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and UNICEF for introducing programmes aimed at social protection in the state.

In a goodwill message, Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar, represented by the District Head of Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar Jabbi, noted that the state government’s efforts through the Ministry of Budget and those of UNICEF are bridging gaps and harmonising the social register for the overall benefit of the state.

Earlier, the state coordinator of the State Operations Coordinating Unit, Alhaji Chika Waziri Junaidu, noted that the meeting aimed to enhance social protection programmes and improve the well-being of citizens in the state.