The Federal Government has released over N438 billion in reimbursements to 34 states and the FCT, under the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) Programme.
Suleiman Odapu, information and communication officer, Federal CARES Support Unit (FCSU), stated this in on Tuesday in Abuja. Odapu quoted Abdulkarim Obaje, the national coordinator, the NG-CARES Programme, as explaining that the funds were disbursed based on the results achieved by the states and FCT during the third independent verification agency (IVA) assessment carried out in January 2024.
He stated that from the earned results, Zamfara, Nasarawa and Plateau states emerged first three, earning N49.1bn, N27.2bn, and N26.3bn respectively.
Obaje, however, said that Kaduna and Anambra states did not present results for verification during the exercise.
The national coordinator expressed the hope that all 36 states and FCT would participate in the fourth IVA exercise scheduled for Sept. 2024.
“This huge reimbursement is aimed at supporting the state governments and the FCT in addressing the pressing challenges of multidimensional poverty.
“It will also enable them to deepen efforts at improving the livelihoods and resilience of the poor and vulnerable segment of the population,” he said.
Obaje further stated that the resources were targeted at social intervention programmes in the States and FCT. He expressed confidence that the resources would be deployed generously to bring succour and meaningful improvement to the lives of many poor and underserved Nigerians.
Obaje commended the Federal Government for the initiative and the leadership provided to the programme.
This, according to him, enabled state governors and the minister of FCT to invest in NG-CARES.
The NG-CARES programme is designed to mitigate the negative impact of the socioeconomic shocks occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. It also aimed at addressing other shocks through the provision of grants and basic social infrastructure services in poor communities.
The funds are channelled towards various projects, including; social safety nets, food security, and small business support, adding that efforts were being made to ensure that the assistance reaches the most indigent and vulnerable Nigerians.
The programme which started in 2021 will close by December 2024.
