BY RITA OYIBOKA
The Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Sonny Ekedayan, has charged Deltans to take the ongoing enrolment into the state’s social register seriously, warning that without reliable data, the government’s poverty alleviation programmes would continue to fall short.
He made this known at the Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting on the National Social Safety Nets Programme–Scale Up (NASSP-SU) implementation held at Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba.
The meeting, which convened government agencies, members of the State Steering Committee, officials of the State Operations Coordinating Units (SOCU), and community leaders, focused on strategies for the effective rollout of NASSP-SU in Delta State. This engagement is part of the Programme’s initiatives under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, following the National Stakeholders Meeting held in Abuja earlier this year.
Ekedayan decried the rising poverty levels across the country, noting that Delta State is not immune. He said the state government has, however, made remarkable progress in scaling up interventions, citing a leap in beneficiaries of the D-CARES from about 33,000 in 2023 to over 346,000 in less than two years, representing a more than 1,000 per cent increase.
“The government is aware of the hardship our people face, and we are responding with targeted interventions. But all these efforts can only be meaningful when backed by accurate and up-to-date data. That is why the social register is the foundation of our fight against poverty,” he said.
The Commissioner explained that the register helps the government determine who qualifies for interventions such as cash transfers, public works initiatives, and agricultural support.
It also serves as a planning tool during emergencies like floods, where affected households can be identified and assisted without lengthy verification.
He lamented that many communities still resist cooperating with SOCU officials during enrolment exercises, seeing it as a stigma rather than an opportunity.
“Unless you are captured in the social register, the government cannot reach you. States like Lagos and many in the North take this seriously and end up attracting bigger federal interventions. Delta must not be left behind,” he warned.
Ekedayan urged traditional rulers, community heads, and opinion leaders to sensitise residents, stressing that being on the social register is not a mark of poverty but a gateway to empowerment and support.
On behalf of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, he thanked the organisers of the workshop and appealed to field officials to intensify their efforts in ensuring that vulnerable Deltans are properly captured in the state’s database.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Community Support Services and Girl Child Development, Orode Uduaghan, said the programme was designed to “give Nigerians a chance to meet their basic needs, regain stability, and begin building a better future for themselves.”
Uduaghan, who doubles as the State Coordinator for National Social Investment Programmes and State Focal Person for the National Cash Transfer Programme, listed the meeting’s objectives as cascading key outcomes, deepening understanding of NASSP-SU, strengthening stakeholder collaboration, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and boosting public awareness.
“While many Deltans are aware of this programme, there remains a need to go deeper into our communities to spread the message of what it represents. Delta State is deeply committed to ensuring that we meet and exceed the standards of implementation, so that every eligible household receives the support they deserve,” she stressed.
