Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has lamented that Nigeria has the highest number of poor people among the countries of the world.
He said his government, in its efforts to fight against this, would create a Social Protection Agency that will ensure that all social protection programmes are delivered in an integrated, inclusive and sustainable manner that optimises resource utilization and achieves high impact.
He also insisted that using social register in programmes designed to assist the poor people will be of good help to them.
The governor said, “Nigeria is going through trying times. We have the largest number of poor people than any country in the world. Yet, whenever a programme is designed to help the poor and vulnerable, we resort to a slot mentality in which important people are allocated slots instead of targeting those poor and vulnerable that deserve it. This is unfortunate. We must move away from slot mentality and use our social register to offer targeted support to those that truly need it.
“I appeal to all my colleagues, the political elites to please drop this slot mentality and use the social register, so that, programmes targeting the vulnerable actually go to the poor and vulnerable. When we think of the poor and vulnerable, we must all remember that, the welfare of each one of us is bound up in the welfare of all of us.”
While giving explanation on Social Protection Agency, El Rufai said, “The agency will utilize an Integrated Social Protection Management Information System, which will serve as a data repository to ensure that the poorest of the poor are prioritized in programme planning and benefits.
“This will also ensure the effective monitoring and evaluation of programme impacts on targeted poor and vulnerable residents of the State.”
He added, “Social Protection Policy will be supported by a Social Protection Law. To ensure that Government delivers on its promise, a well-articulated Implementation Plan and Results Frame work have also been developed.
“For this purpose, the Kaduna State Government welcomes partnership with all key stakeholders, donor agencies, private individuals, NGOs, and CSOs, in the social protection space.”
“This government has made education in the state free and compulsory for the first 12 years. We have also enacted the Child Welfare and Protection Law. Our public healthcare system offers free services for pregnant women and children younger than five years.”