Abia leads Southeast states in NG-Cares implementation

Abia State led other South East states in implementing the Nigerian Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programmes.

The programme formerly called Nigeria COVID-19 Action for Recovery and Economic Stimulus is a $750 million World Bank-supported programme implemented by the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It is to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the livelihoods of poor individuals, farmers, vulnerable households, communities, and owners of micro and small enterprises.

Disbursements under the programme is based on performance. Each State is allocated ex-ante $20 million, FCT $15 million and the Federal CARES Support Unit is allocated $15 million.

The result of the performance of the Southeast states presented yesterday by the National Coordinator of NG-CARES, Dr. Abdulkarim Obaje in Enugu at the opening of the opening of the Enugu zone Peer Learning and Experience Sharing event, shows that after the third reimbursement to states, Abia earned the sum of $21,748,013 cumulatively.

The state was followed closely by Imo State which got $19,500,013. Ebonyi State came third with $6,995,392 while Enugu and Anambra states, earned $6,569,750 and $4,581,574 to place fourth and fifth respectively.

The National Coordinator, who expressed joy at the progress made so far, said it has disbursed over N625 billion ($645 million) and has reached directly over 5.3 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

He noted that disbursements are done after independent verification agents (IVAs), have submitted their reports to show the exact performance of the states.

According to him, so far we have done three IVAs and have also reimbursed the states accordingly.”

He said that peer learning and experience sharing are also held in other zones including Niger, Bauchi, Sokoto, Ondo, and Rivers.

Also speaking, the governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah while praising the effort of the National and state coordinators of NG-CARES for the wonderful job they are doing in helping to support the poor and vulnerable in the country, noted that the programmes align perfectly with the vision of his administration.

The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Profesor Chidi Onyia, restated the commitment of his government to ensuring an end to poverty in the state.

He enumerated some of the people-orientated programmes and projects that his administration has initiated, promising to ensure the people of the state maximally benefit from them.

Earlier in her welcome address, Chairman of the Federal CARES Technical Committee, Mrs. Elizabeth Egharevba, said the peer learning and experience-sharing event was an important milestone in the effort to lift the poor and vulnerable in Nigeria.

According to her, “We have come together with partners and stakeholders from across the region to share learnings, best practices, and insights that can help drive progress on our shared objectives.

“While we are proud of what we have accomplished thus far, we know there is still much work to be done.

“That is why this Peer Learning Event is so critical. By convening diverse perspectives and experiences, we can collectively identify solutions to the complex challenges we face, and find new ways to amplify our impact. Through open and honest dialogue, we hope to uncover innovative approaches, refine our strategies, and strengthen the capabilities of all involved.”

The programmes attracted participants from seven states including, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu and Taraba.