By Ishaq Zaki, Gusau
The World Food Programme (WFP), in collaboration with the Zamfara state government has distributed cash, food items, medicines and other household items to 5,022 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) households.
Hamza Salihu, the Coordinator, State Operations Coordination Unit (SOCU), disclosed this in Kaduna on Saturday, at the close of a three-day dissemination meeting of the social inclusion assessment report on Zamfara state.
The assessment was facilitated by the Expanding Social Protection for Inclusion Development (ESPID) a UKaid funded programme, with CSOs and other key stakeholders from Zamfara state.
The meeting was organised by Save the Children International, UKaid-funded NGO, through the Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).
The meeting had no fewer than 30 participants drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the Media.
Salihu, the Director Budget at the state Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, noted that the pilot programme that covered the two local government areas of Anka and Gusau, was implemented between January to June 2021.
He said that the state’s National Social Safety Net Programme, through the state SOCU office and the state Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development were the implementers.
According to him, each of the 5,022 households have been supported with over N26,000 monthly for a period of six months.
“Though, the programme is a pilot scheme, it has yielded positive results in uplifting the socio-economic status of the beneficiaries; we are hoping to expand the programme to the remaining 12 LGAs of the state.
Also speaking, Tukur Shehu, the Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, commended the SCI and other relevant stakeholders for their contributions to the success of social protection activities in the state.
Shehu pledged that the ministry would continue to partner with the SCI and other relevant stakeholders, to ensure effective inclusion of all vulnerable groups in all the activities of the ministry.
Mr Kabiru Agege, the Director -General, state Directorate of Peace and Conflict Resolution, also said the directorate had been making efforts to reach out to all stakeholders to complement government’s efforts in addressing the lingering security challenges facing the state.
Agege commended the SCI for the implementation of SP programmes in the state which, he said, had been making positive contributions in promoting peace and stability.
He said the programme had helped to reduce poverty and address the people’s socio-economic challenges, especially those of vulnerable groups in the society.
He assured of the readiness of the directorate to continue to partner with all stakeholders in peace building, among communities in the state.
Earlier, Ms Mariam El-Yakub, the gender and social Inclusion specialist of the ESPID programme, said that the meeting was to strategically develop pathways of integrating and using the findings of the report to improve social protection, sector service delivery and also to build an Action Plan and next steps in line with the report’s recommendations.
“I appreciate all stakeholders in the state for their contributions towards achieving effective social protection programmes in the state” she said.
El-Yakub also called for proper coordination from SP implementation MDAs, in order to ensure effective inclusion of all marginalised vulnerable groups in the state into social protection activities and programmes.
