Why politicians are not involved in National Social Register process – ANEEJ

From: Femi  Oyelola, Kaduna

The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, has said that it does appear that there is a distrust of the content of the National Social Register (NSR)  because politicians were not involved in the process.

This was contained in a statement made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday.

The statement stated that not involving the politicians unarguably was intentional, to ensure that the households identified are known and identified by persons living within their midst, as truly in need of support.

According to the ANEEJ  the

entire process has been heavily resourced and supported by development partners, which route has facilitated a database that is as authentic as is possible in our circumstances.

According to the  group the danger always exists that relying on the political actors to develop such a critical database might compromise its integrity, so those saddled with the responsibility at the State and Federal levels worked independently and assiduously to develop what is currently perceived as the largest Social Register in the world.

While not perfect, the NSR and State Social Registers need to be updated, monitored and safeguarded closely, for optimal results in poverty reduction.

It is imperative to assert the facts surrounding the creation of that Register and the transparent process adopted in developing it based on our experience in leading over 800 Civil Society Organisations and individuals drawn from the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria to carry out an independent  end-to-end  monitoring (upstream and downstream) of the utilization of the second tranche of the Late General Sani Abacha $322.5 million returned from Switzerland, otherwise known as Abacha II.

Our involvement was in addition to the internal grievance mechanisms that were built into the structure of the Federal Government agencies.”