Residents of Ibulesoro Community in Ondo State have been encouraged to enroll in the State Social Register to enable them benefit from government social intervention and safety-net programmes targeted at vulnerable households.
The appeal was made during a sensitisation and community outreach programme organised under the ACT Naija! – Civil Society Action to Strengthen Social Protection in Nigeria Project.
The initiative is being implemented by a consortium comprising Brot für die Welt, the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice and the New Initiative for Social Development with support from the European Union.
The programme focused on raising awareness about existing social protection schemes and educating residents on the importance of the social register in identifying vulnerable persons, including women, youths, the elderly and Persons With Disabilities, for government interventions.
Speaking during the event held on Tuesday in Ibulesoro, the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Manager of NISD, Mr. Olusegun Ojo, said the community was privileged to be among the beneficiaries of the project.
Ojo explained that the initiative was designed to improve access to social protection programmes for vulnerable groups, stressing that the intervention was aimed at empowering citizens rather than serving as a mere handout.
Also speaking, the State Coordinator of the State Operations Coordinating Unit, Barrister Bankole Olaoluwa, who was represented by Mrs. Clementina Oyegunwa, disclosed that efforts were ongoing to expand the State Social Register to accommodate more eligible households across communities.
She urged residents to cooperate with registration officials and make themselves available during community engagement exercises.
According to her, the programme is non-political and strictly targeted at vulnerable households.
“Community members should come out whenever social register development exercises are conducted and provide accurate information so they can benefit from available government interventions,” she said.
The Cash Transfer Officer for the community, Mr. Bakare Awosanya, explained that beneficiaries had received different categories of support ranging from ₦25,000 to ₦75,000 depending on the intervention package and programme requirements.
He noted that enrollment in the social register remained a key requirement for accessing the benefits, adding that beneficiaries are selected after verification and profiling processes.
Some beneficiaries at the event also shared testimonies on how the programme had impacted their lives.
The Iyaloja of Ibulesoro, Mrs. Alade Aina, confirmed that she had benefited from the initiative, while a Person With Disability, Mr. Tunde Osadare, said he received support under a gutter-cleaning intervention programme.
Osadare commended the government and development partners for supporting vulnerable persons in the society.
On behalf of the community, the Asala of Ibulesoro, Chief Jayeoba, praised the organisers for bringing the sensitisation programme to the area.
He said the outreach had enlightened residents on available government interventions and the processes required to access them, expressing optimism that more vulnerable households in the community would benefit from the schemes.
Earlier, the Ondo State Programme Officer of NISD, Mrs. Patrick Adedoyin Adebisi, disclosed that the ACT Naija Project was currently being implemented in Ifedore, Akure North and Ilaje Local Government Areas of the state.
She added that the initiative was specifically targeted at households that often struggle to access government intervention programmes, noting that the project seeks to bridge the gap through advocacy, awareness campaigns and community engagement.
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