Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for the introduction of a universal child benefit to strengthen the federal government’s efforts to tackle multidimensional poverty in the North-West, with particular focus on children, mothers, and vulnerable families.

Mr Shettima made the call on Wednesday in Kano at the North-West Policy Dialogue on reducing multidimensional poverty, organised by the North-West Governors’ Forum.

Represented by the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, Mr Shettima described the gathering as both historic and timely, noting that the theme, “Reducing Multidimensional Poverty through Innovative Financing and a Scaled Social Protection System,” could not have been more relevant.

Highlighting the changing nature of poverty, Mr Shettima said it now goes beyond income deprivation, affecting education, health, nutrition, and access to essential services.

“It is the child who cannot read at ten, the mother who approaches childbirth with fear, and the household is unsure of tomorrow’s food,” he said.

He described the North-West as a demographic and economic powerhouse, rich in agricultural potential, commercial ingenuity, youthful energy, and entrepreneurial excellence.

The vice president noted that the region faces serious challenges, including over eight million out-of-school children, high maternal and child mortality, and widespread malnutrition.

Mr Shettima stressed that social protection should be treated as a national development priority.

“The Nigerian state must work for the powerful and the powerless, the urban professional and the rural poor, the entrepreneur and the widow,” he said.

He urged the adoption of durable systems with transparent financing, efficient delivery, and a credible social register.

Mr Shettima identified the Universal Child Benefit as central to the dialogue, describing it as a transformative policy for the region.

“If properly implemented, it would support families with children aged zero to twelve, improve school enrolment and retention, enhance nutrition, and reduce pressures that push children into child labour or early marriage,” Mr Shettima said.

The vice president also noted that the North-West is well-positioned to lead social protection reform, citing traditions of care, charity, and community responsibility through Zakat and Waqf.

“We must modernise these systems, connect them to measurable social outcomes, and join tradition with technology and policy discipline,” he said.

Mr Shettima urged participants to move beyond statements to concrete commitments, including a financing framework, clear budgetary pathways, monitoring mechanisms, and pilot projects for the Universal Child Benefit.

The vice president assured the forum of President Bola Tinubu’s dedication to building a scalable, credible, and sustainable social protection system.

Hope must be organised, financed, delivered, and measured, he said, calling on all stakeholders to turn the dialogue into lasting action for the North-West.

Earlier, Governor Abba Yusuf emphasised the North-West’s potential, advocating people-focused policies, robust social protection, and collaborative action to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.

Represented by his deputy, Murtala Sule-Garo, Mr Yusuf called on leaders and stakeholders to ensure policies and investments translate into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens, particularly women, children, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.

Speaking also, the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, urged leaders in the North-West to adopt pragmatic and sustained interventions to address social development challenges in the region.

He emphasised the pivotal role of traditional institutions in governance, describing the emirate system as an active arm of government ready to support initiatives in health, education, nutrition, and other critical sectors.

Mr Sanusi called for the establishment of a comprehensive social policy investment framework in each state, with dedicated budget lines for social protection, safety nets, early childhood interventions, adult literacy, youth skills, and after-school programmes. 

(NAN)