The Kogi State Government has begun the process of registering the poor and Vulnerable affected by Covid19 pandemic, urged the citizens of the state to take advantage to get registered.
Asiwaju Asiru Idris Honourable Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning made the disclosure in a press conference to sensitize and to Urge all kogites to respond to messages on their phones and get registered.
The Commissioner said the benefits are enormous with the Rapid Response Register, which he disclosed is a shock response framework designed by the National Social Safety Net Program in collaboration with the world bank.
Below is the full Speech of the Commissioner for Finance Budget and Economic Planning at the press conference.
The “Rapid Response Register” (RRR) is a shock response framework designed by the National Social Safety-Net Program (NASSP) in collaboration with the World Bank to provide emergency social interventions to poor and vulnerable households in challenging circumstances (Natural disaster, epidemic, pandemic, economic downturn, etc)
The RRR is therefore a Subset of the National Social Register (NSR) and State Social Register (SSR) but only deployed for emergency circumstances and
interventions
The Kogi State Government under the leadership of Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello in collaboration with Federal Government efforts has designed to target and capture the urban and semi-urban areas in Kogi State that are economically impacted by COVID-19 pandemic. This is because the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed people deeper into poverty and
vulnerability.
In Nigeria at large and Kogi State in particular the economic impact of the pandemic has been felt mostly by urban and semi-urban dwellers many of whom lost
jobs, businesses and consequently incomes.
Although Kogi State remains the safest state so far, but the global economic down turn due the pandemic has brought enormous hardship on our people.
THE COVID -19 RAPID RESPONSE REGISTER (RRR)
In response to these economic shocks, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in partnership with the World Bank is building The Rapid Response Register as an intervention to identify and document the urban and semi-urban poor who have lost their income and consequently become poorer because of Covid19.
The Register is being built in Kogi State to target those in the category of non-traditional poor people in urban and high-density locations or slums where the pandemic has affected economic life.
Individuals/households in the Rapid Response Register will be paid a monthly stipend for at least six months under an expanded Cash _ Transfer Programme of the Federal Government. This will boost their consumption and help to build resilience.
IDENTIFYING THE URBAN POOR FOR THE COVID RAPID RESPONSE REGISTER
To identify those made poorer in Urban and semiurban areas for registration, geographical satellite remote sensing technology to locate urban poor wards and high-density settlements is deployed to Kogi State.
Targeting and enrolment of affected individuals will be done using cellphone short messaging service (SMS) technology that allows residents of identified communities register to be assisted by following simple steps via USSD codes. ‘This technology approach is integrated with the National Living Standard Survey assessments and will be complemented by existing databases of NGOs, local
self-help-support groups and neighborhood structures in the communities.
Mobile phone numbers of applicants validated and deemed eligible for assistance will be linked to digitized bank accounts to receive NS5000 monthly stipends.
The Rapid Response Register will also serve as a database to deliver social assistance and emergency response during future emergencies or disasters. The register targets a total of 20 million Nigerians
The Kogi state government is using this medium to sensitize her citizens to respond promptly to messages on their phone and get registered.
His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has directed this sensitization and wish all kogites to respond the messages on their phones and get registered accordingly as the benefits are enormous.