….Ondo SOCU Coordinator, Bankole Olaoluwa highlights benefits of Capacity Building.
The process of updating the National Social Register has commenced with a 3-day Step Down Training for facilitators and Enumerators across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State.
The training holding in Akure, is being organized by the National Social Safety- Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Ondo State Operations Coordinating Unit, SOCU.
At the flag-off of the capacity building on Monday, March 10, 2025, the Ondo SOCU Coordinator, Barr. Bankole Olaoluwa said in line with the mandate of his office to establish the Single Register of poor and vulnerable households, SOCU is collaborating with NASSCO and NIMC to integrate the National Identity Number into the Single Register.
This, according to him, is to ensure that individuals who have already been captured in the Single Register can be linked with their NIN.
Bankole said, “we want to make sure that data is not just about figure. Our goal is to humanize the process such that individuals in the Single Register can be linked to their National Identity Number so that we can have a sort of inclusive protection and know whoever government is giving support to.
“Those who are yet to be captured before now will have the opportunity to do so as CBT Team will be deployed into various communities across the state shortly for expansion of the Single Register once the present NIN integration and update is concluded.”
The State Coordinator noted that a 5 team members comprising facilitators and enumerators were picked from each local government to participate in the training exercise.
Bankole who urged participants to make the most use of the 3-day training to horn their skills, commended the partners on the project most especially officials of NIMC.
Declaring the training open, the Administrative Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Bamidele John Daisi said the program is a welcome development as it is critical to development of the state.
Daisi who said even a small nation as Rwanda have already gone past this level, it is important that Nigeria begins the process.
He charged the participant to give their best on the field after the capacity building as the success of the project is in their hands.
“It’s a very critical assignment you have in your hands.You must take the training serious”, he added.
At the event also, the State Coordinator, NIMC, Mrs. Wuraola Akinrinlola restated the importance of data inclusion stressing that a time is coming when those without National Identity Number will not be able to enjoy any social facility.
“Our goal is to attain total inclusion. You will agree with me that some people in the rural areas are yet to be captured. Those trained will be deployed to their respective communities to capture fresh data as we want everybody to have national identity number”, she further stressed.
Also lending his voice to the cause, Ondo State Ag. Statistician General, Mr. Ajayi in his goodwill message restated the importance of data to development.
Particularly, he expressed high hopes in the project noting that it will ultimately help government in driving it policies for greater impact in the society.
In an interview with newsmen, some of the participants who spoke expressed readiness to work and help achieve the goals of the project.
This federal government driven iniatiative is expected to also capture the data of those who are not yet in the social register.
