Kashim Shettima-led National Economic Council (NEC) presided on Thursday, suspended the national social register under Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for lack of credibility, instead, proposed the implementation of a cash transfer programme for states based on their social registers and a cash reward policy for public servants for six months.
The council’s decision was part of the outcome of the over five hours meeting at the state house.
Chukwuma Soludo, the Anambra State Governor while speaking with newsmen, said the NEC agreed that states should come up with their own registers using formal and informal means, adding that all beneficiaries will be easily identified at the subnational level.
“We need to face the problem of the fact that we don’t have a credible register,” he said.
The anambra state governor also stated NEC deliberated on ways to cushion the impact of the recent removal of the petrol subsidy, adding that the council agreed on the need for payment of outstanding liabilities of public servants, including pensions and gratuities, to alleviate their hardships.
The council, according to Soludo, also agreed that the government will focus on funding micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with single-digit interest rates to support business growth.
he federal government, in 2016, established the national social investments programme (NSIP) to “tackle poverty and hunger” across the country, directing the immediate release of N25 billion for the take-off of the programme.
A national social register was also created for its implementation, which comprises names of poor people and households across the country.