NG-CARES: FG releases N35.3bn targeting over 5m Nigerian

Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba has reiterated his commitment to transparency and accountability in handling Nigeria COVID-19 Actions Recovery And Economic Stimulus Program in the country, saying “Federal Government has released N35.3bn targeting over 5 million Nigerians before June 2024”.

The minister made this known while addressing stakeholders and beneficiaries in Borno and Yobe states at the opening of a one day maiden ministerial town hall meeting on NG-CARES in Maiduguri on Wednesday.

He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had devastating consequences on the livelihoods of poor and vulnerable individuals, formal and informal businesses, especially Micro and Small businesses as well as peasant farmers who rely on daily subsistence income to survive.

According to him, in order to mitigate the adverse impacts of the Pandemic and lay a solid foundation for a robust economic recovery, the Federal Government enunciated several policy measures under the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) which was launched by President, Muhammad Buhari GCFR, in July 2020, to mobilize funds and other resources to maintain macroeconomic stability, stimulate oil and non-oil government revenues and reduce non-essential spending.

The minister who was represented by National Coordinator of NG-CARES, Dr. Abdulkarim Obaje said “in about a year of full implementation, NG-CARES has impacted over 2 million direct beneficiaries, based on the report of the first round of assessment of the Programme implementation conducted by an Independent Verification Agent.

“Distinguished participants, one of President Buhari’s strategies is to intermittently meet with, and engage stakeholders as part of Government’s accountability to the citizens”.

“The purpose basically is to hear, first-hand, views of our people on government policies and programmes and to feel the pulse of the Nation”.

“This interaction is even more imperative given the fact that NG-CARES Programme
draws some of its beneficiaries from the National Social Register”.

“It is important to enquire from you how effective is this approach as we seek the consolidation of the National Social Register as a major source of credible data for social protection intervention in the country”, he added.

Speaking, Mr. Aso Vakporaye, Chairman Federal CARES Technical Committee, said the purpose of th gathering was to provide the Federal Government with the opportunity to interact with stakeholders (implementing agencies and beneficiaries) of the Programme to obtain and document information on achievements and challenges from direct beneficiaries and implementing entities,” he said.