By Abdulrahman Aliagan,
The Federal Government has commenced the profiling, identification and validation of vulnerable persons in Zamfara State as part of efforts to ensure that social protection interventions reach genuine beneficiaries.
The exercise is being implemented by the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) through its Grant for Vulnerable Groups (GVG) Programme.
The flag-off was announced during a courtesy visit by the National Programme Manager of GVG, Hajiya Ashiat Alubankudi, and her team to Zamfara State Governor, Dr Dauda Lawal Dare, in Gusau.
Alubankudi said the exercise was designed to establish a credible and verified database of vulnerable persons across selected communities, wards and internally displaced persons’ (IDP) camps.
She explained that the initiative went beyond collecting names, stressing that it was intended to identify the actual circumstances of vulnerable individuals and ensure that assistance was provided based on genuine needs.
“We are not here simply to collect names. We want to establish a credible and verified database of vulnerable persons, understand their circumstances and ensure that the intervention is based on genuine need,” she said.
The national programme manager disclosed that about 400 pre-identified vulnerable persons would receive immediate financial support of N10,000 each.
She added that the main empowerment phase, which would involve the distribution of livelihood and economic-strengthening items, was expected to commence within the coming months, subject to the necessary approvals.
According to her, the programme is designed not only to provide temporary relief but also to strengthen livelihoods, improve economic resilience and promote self-reliance among vulnerable populations.
“Our intention is not merely to provide temporary assistance, but to support vulnerable persons, strengthen their livelihoods, improve their economic resilience and make them self-reliant,” Alubankudi said.
Also speaking, the Zamfara State Programme Manager of the Grant for Vulnerable Groups, Hauwa’u Barau Suleiman, said the state government was developing the Z-GVG initiative into a sustainable social protection programme.
She explained that the programme targets vulnerable women, young people, persons with disabilities, elderly citizens and households affected by conflict.
According to Suleiman, the initiative combines social protection measures with skills development and economic inclusion to improve the livelihoods of vulnerable groups.
Responding, Governor Lawal welcomed the initiative and pledged his administration’s full support for the profiling and validation exercise.
The governor emphasised the importance of credible data in development planning, noting that governments could not effectively plan or deliver meaningful development without reliable information about the people they intended to serve.
He described the profiling exercise as a critical foundation for effective social protection programming in the state.
Lawal also stressed that transparency and accountability must guide the implementation of the programme, warning that the initiative would lose its purpose if the intended beneficiaries were excluded from the interventions.
He called on all stakeholders to ensure that assistance reached those who genuinely needed it and that no vulnerable person was deprived of support through irregularities in the implementation process.
The governor assured NSIPA of the state government’s collaboration, including the involvement of local government authorities, traditional institutions and community leaders, to facilitate the successful implementation of the exercise.
The profiling initiative is expected to provide a verified database that will help strengthen the targeting of social protection interventions in Zamfara State, particularly among communities and households affected by poverty, displacement and other forms of vulnerability.