By Sulyman Pakoyi

The Ondo State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Emmanuel Igbasan, has revealed that 7,550 poor and vulnerable people in Ondo State benefited from the Nigeria Community Action for Reliance and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme.

The figure was disclosed during the fifth zonal peer learning and experience-sharing event organised by NG-CARES on Thursday, 26 September, in Akure, the state capital.

Igbasan, who spoke through the State CARES Coordination Unit Head, Mr Bamidele John Daisi, further stated that since the inception of NG-CARES, OD-CARES has supported 19,023 unemployed youths engaged in public works with monthly stipends.

Additionally, 175 micro projects have been rehabilitated or constructed, benefitting an estimated 227,993 people in both rural and urban communities. Furthermore, 26,353 farmers have been provided with agricultural inputs.

According to the National Coordinator of the NG-CARES programme, Dr Abdulkarim Obaje, over 9 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians have benefited from the programme.

He said the NG-CARES is one of the measures the federal government put in place to “respond to shocks affecting both local and international human and institutional resources.”

“The programme has been restructured in terms of scope to cover more vulnerable Nigerians, and it has done very well. The indication of its success is the fact that state governors are requesting the World Bank, through the federal government, for additional financing, which has also been approved to the tune of $500 million,” Dr Obaje said.

He added that NG-CARES is committed to supporting both the federal and state governments in delivering assistance to victims of shocks and disasters in the country.

“From all indications, the federal government has just approved relief funds for victims of shocks and disasters in the country. NG-CARES is poised to support the federal and state governments in delivering this relief to those affected,” he said.

Dr Obaje expressed optimism that Ondo State will perform better in the next phase of NG-CARES, given the growth recorded in the first phase.

The Task Team Leader of NG-CARES, World Bank, Dr Lire Ersado, represented by Prof Foluso Okunmadewa, stated that peer learning is an important opportunity to learn from each other, enabling stakeholders to synergise and build on the strengths and weaknesses of the programme.

While speaking to newsmen, Prof Foluso noted that the first phase of the programme raised $750 million, and for the second phase, the World Bank is raising $500 million. Additionally, the 36 states and the FCT may collectively contribute another $500 million to the programme.

“Almost another $500 million may come from the states to complement this, as the programme is structured in a way that states spend their own money, and after measuring the results, the World Bank reimburses part of the expenses, though not all of them,” he said.

The event was attended by stakeholders from 11 states who participated in an interactive peer-learning session.