The Kaduna State government has said that it has so far captured 265,275 Poor and Vulnerable Households (PVHHs) in its Social Register, Nature News gathered.
Head of Operations, State Operations Coordinating Unit (SOCU), Planning and Budget Commission, Mr Biya Dogon, made this known in Kaduna at a two-day 4th Quarter Review Meeting of the Kaduna Social Protection Accountability Coalition.
Dogon explained that the register was being generated through a comprehensive process known as Community Based Targeting (CBT), where the community defines poverty and identifies those that should be captured in the register.
He said that the CBT process began in 2017 in nine pilots Local Government Areas (LGAs), three from each Senatorial Zone, Ikara, Kubau, Lere, Birnin Gwari, Chikun, Kajuru, Kachia, Kauru and Sanga.
“However, in May 2020, the process was scaled-up to the remaining fourteen LGAs, thus covering the entire state. SOCU is saddled with the responsibility of generating and maintaining the Social Register of the poor and vulnerable households in the state.
“The process is ongoing until all poor and vulnerable households in the state are captured for planning and implementation of social protection programmes,” he said.
He explained that the data was mined by the Federal Government in the delivery of its Cash Transfer programme and other social protection programmes.
Dogon noted that the register was also being made available for development partners, organisations, NonGovernmental Organisation to mine from for various social protection interventions. He commended KADSPAC for tracking the CBT process and disseminating its findings with the SOCU office.
According to him, the observations and recommendations will improve the CBT process and ensure accountability and transparency in populating the register.
Earlier, Ms Jessica Bartholomew, the Chairperson, KADSPAC explained that the meeting was organised to review activities conducted in the 4th quarter.
“This is very crucial for us to take stock of successes, challenges and suggest ways to improve while we plan for 2021,” she said.
Also speaking, Mr Tanko Langaya, State Team Lead, Save the Children International, described KADSPAC as the NGO’s “pillar’’ in promoting transparency and accountability in social protection in the state.
Langaya said that save the children would also continue to support the state government in building strong systems and institutions needed for the delivery of inclusive social protection services for the poor and vulnerable.
