Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Ibrahim Suleiman addressed a Stakeholder Engagement with Local Government Chairmen, organized by the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office held at the Transcript Hilton Hotel Abuja.
In her special remarks, the Minister said ” I am delighted to join you today at this critical stakeholder engagement with Local Government Chairmen from across the Federation. We are gathered at a defining moment in our national journey toward inclusive governance, social equity, and sustainable development under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration.
The Minister congratulated the Convener for the thoughts behind the event, stressing that the theme of the engagement, “Strengthening Local Government Leadership for Inclusive Development and Social Protection Delivery,” speaks directly to the heart of our collective responsibility as leaders entrusted with the welfare and wellbeing of the Nigerian people. It reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to building a Nigeria where no woman, child, family, or vulnerable citizen is left behind.
According to her, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, recognize Local Governments as the closest tier of government to the grassroots and the most strategic partners in delivering people-centered governance. “Your offices remain the first point of contact for millions of Nigerians seeking hope, protection, empowerment, and access to critical social services.
Imaan acknowledged that Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu places strong emphasis on social inclusion, poverty alleviation, women’s empowerment, youth development, family cohesion, and sustainable social protection systems, adding that inline with this vision, the Ministry continues to champion transformative programmes aimed at strengthening the resilience of families and communities across the 774 Local Government Areas of Nigeria.
“One of such flagship interventions is the Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention (RHSII-774), an initiative designed to deepen grassroots empowerment, expand opportunities for women and vulnerable groups, and strengthen community-based social protection mechanisms nationwide. The programme reflects the determination of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to ensure that the dividends of democracy reach every ward, every household, and every community across Nigeria”.
The Ministér pointed out that the role of Chairmen, in advancing the objectives of the Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention 774 cannot be overstated. “You are critical stakeholders in identifying vulnerable households, supporting women-led initiatives, strengthening community mobilization, and ensuring that government interventions reach those who need them most. Through your leadership, we can collectively build a responsive and transparent social safety system that truly serves the Nigerian people”.
Speaking further, she said through the National Social Safety Nets Project –Scale Up (NASSP-SU), the Federal Government is working assiduously to improve the efficiency, transparency, and inclusiveness of social protection delivery in Nigeria, noting that the success of the National Social Register depends heavily on the credibility and integrity of data generated at the community level, which is why their active participation and collaboration remain indispensable.
She pointed out that integrating NIN into the social protection framework will help bridge long-standing exclusion gaps affecting women, persons with disabilities, rural dwellers, and marginalized populations who often lack access to formal identification systems and urged all Local Government Chairmen to intensify efforts toward community-level sensitization and enrollment to ensure that eligible citizens are not denied access to critical government interventions and social safety programmes.
According to her, the Stakeholder engagement also aligns with the National Women Mega Empowerment and Rally, an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, launched by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Mother of the Nation, Her Excellency, Distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON.
The programme, themed “The Power of 10 Million: One Voice, One Movement, One Choice,” is a strategic grassroots mobilization platform aimed at uniting and empowering Nigerian women and communities across the Federation in support of inclusive development, social protection, economic empowerment, family cohesion, and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR”
The Minister appealed to all Local Government Chairmen across the Federation to identify with and actively support this people-driven movement as partners in building a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Nigeria fit for all.
Ahmed Lawan Danbazau mnipr
Head, Press and Public Relations FMWASD
