Niger launches covid-19 stimulus programme, disburses funds to communities, groups

Niger State Government has said that the Niger CARES Project is an intervention programme aimed at mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on poor and vulnerable households.

It stated this while speaking through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, while launching the commencement of NIGER–CARES and distribution of cheques to benefitting communities and groups organised by the Niger State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) held at Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre, Minna.

Matane explained that the disbursement of funds to groups is a poverty reduction strategy as well as support to micro and small-scale enterprises as a means of stimulating the economic growth in a post-COVID-19 era thereby bringing people out of poverty.

He noted that due to the leadership and political will provided by the State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani-Bello, Niger State was ahead of many states in this endeavour and expressed optimism that implementation of the programme would improve the living standards of communities to get back on their feet.

The SSG, thereby, urged the benefitting communities and groups to utilise the funds for the purpose it was meant for and not to allow any form of hijack by anybody.

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Earlier in his remarks, Commissioner, Niger State Planning Commission, Alhaji Zakari Abubakar encouraged the people of the state to take advantage of the opportunities provided by NIGER-CARES to enhance their means of livelihood and reduce the spate of poverty in their communities.

Also in a separate remarks, the General Manager, Niger State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), Yusuf Ahmed Usman, announced that the State Government has released the sum of N248,854,184 to the agency for the provision of social basic infrastructures to communities and groups in all the 25 Local Government Areas in the State.

Usman explained that communities and groups that would benefit from the disbursement include the Aghumai Bari group, Paikoro LGA, Soje B, Chanchaga LGA, Talwood community, Wushishi, Chingini Enazan, Edati LGA and Association of the blind, Kontagora LGA.

Meanwhile, over N60 million was disbursed to the communities and groups to commence the implementation of the following chosen micro-projects: drilling of solar boreholes with an overhead tank, renovation of a health clinic, renovation of learning centre and provision of learning materials, the General Manager revealed.

Highlights of the occasion were goodwill messages from different stakeholders and cultural performance.