Kaduna group sensitises stakeholders on COVID-19 action project

Beneficiaries and stakeholders of the COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic stimulus(KD- CARES) project, in Kaduna state, have been sensitised on the implementation arrangements of the Kaduna in other to ensure an all-inclusive and seamless process.

KD-CARES is a World Bank assisted initiative being implemented to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 at the state level, by protecting the livelihoods of poor and vulnerable households, and supporting the recovery of local economic activities.

Speaking at the sensitization programme organized by the Kaduna Planning and Budget Commission, the Permanent Secretary, Bashir Muhammed said, the KD-CARES project which is a two-year programme, is to protect the livelihoods and food security of poor and vulnerable families and facilitate the recovery of local economic activities in Kaduna state.

Muhammed, who was represented by the state coordinator, KD-CARES, Mallam Badamasi Musa said the programme has three components aimed at increasing social transfer, monthly youth intensive labour work; agriculture support, input support upgrading rural infrastructure and creating access to agriculture sites; support MSMEs, servicing existing loans and IT support to MSMEs.

He noted that the state government will be leveraging existing platforms such as; the state cash transfer unit of the Social Investment Office, Community and Social Development Agency, FADAMA Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture and Kaduna State Industrialization and Micro-credit Board to implement the CARES programme.

He hinted that the outcomes are, increased social transfers, basic services, and livelihood support to poor and vulnerable households, increasing food security and safe functioning of food supply chains, and facilitating recovery and enhancing capabilities of MSMEs.

“We need to inform the beneficiaries as to what is needed for them to provide, so that in the end, they are not losing any participants, knowing fully that for us to be reimbursed by the world bank, they will be counting on beneficiaries who have made the requirements as stipulated in the programme development objectives.”

“Beneficiaries cut across the three key result areas, especially those that were adversely affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Beneficiaries are expected to be mined from the state social registers, farmers register and other state registers generated or built through a transparent and acceptable process in line with the key performance indicators,” he said.

The Head of Unit, State Cash Transfer, Hauwa Abdulrazak said, “we have sensitized our beneficiaries on what we expect from them and what they will expect from us, what we want them to do during the enrollment process, especially when we are doing the E-payment, they have to get their own SIM card, NIN number and so on so that it will be easier for the wallet account”.

Also, the Co-chair of the Kaduna Maternal Accountability Mechanism(KADMAM), Mustapha Jumare said, “it is a kind of explanation and sensitization for Kaduna state to know where we are going, and to know how people tend to benefit from the programme which is domiciled with the planning and budget commission.

“It is good to explain to the citizens so that people will not just go and sit down and create stories, this is a palliative given to citizens to cushion the effect of COVID 19.”

Mr Jumare, therefore, advised the beneficiaries to make use of the support given judiciously, saying,” the tendency is that some would be given this kind of support and they will go and misuse, so it is advisable that what is given for a purpose should be used for that purpose.

“The effect of this is going to be directly and indirectly; directly to the beneficiaries and indirectly to the citizens of Kaduna state.”

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Kaduna sensitizes beneficiaries, stakeholders on implementation of COVID-19 action project