Under the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) Program, the Federal Government has given about N438 billion to 34 states as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In a press release, Malam Suleiman Odapu, the Federal CARES Support Unit (FCSU) Information, and Communication Officer, stated that the results of the third Independent Verification Agency (IVA) assessment, which was carried out in January 2024, were used to determine the distribution of funds to the states and the Federal Capital Territory.Â
The purpose of this significant reimbursement is to support the FCT and state governments in addressing the complex issues associated with poverty and improving the quality of life for the most vulnerable citizens.
According to the evaluation, the states of Zamfara, Nasarawa, and the Plateau were awarded the largest portion, receiving N49.18 billion, N27.20 billion, and N26.31 billion, in that order. Nevertheless, during this exercise, the states of Kaduna and Anambra failed to provide results for verification.
The NG-CARES Program’s National Coordinator, Dr. Abdulkarim Obaje, expressed hope that all 36 states and the Federal Territory would take part in the upcoming fourth IVA evaluation, which is set for September 2024.Â
The NG-CARES initiative was created to mitigate the detrimental socioeconomic consequences resulting from the COVID-19 epidemic.
Through the provision of funds and necessary social infrastructure services to underprivileged communities, it seeks to counteract additional economic shocks.
The money is distributed across a number of initiatives, such as food security, social safety nets, and small business help, to guarantee that the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians receive aid. The NG-CARES initiative was launched in 2021 and is expected to end in December 2024.
What to note
“The significant refund will help the Federal Capital Territory and state governments address the pressing issues of poverty. It would also help to strengthen the livelihoods and resilience of the impoverished and vulnerable parts of the population,” said Dr. Obaje.
The payment also helped other states: Niger received N17.77 billion, Rivers N19.52 billion, and Cross River N20.67 billion. N17.54 billion was allotted to Adamawa, N15.46 billion to Katsina, N15.41 billion to Imo, and N14.18 billion to Sokoto. N13.93 billion went to Ondo, N13.27 billion to Delta, N12.18 billion to Abia, and N10.83 billion to Bayelsa. N9.56 billion went to Osun, N9.92 billion to Kwara, and N10.17 billion to Yobe.
Kogi received N6.90 billion, Bauchi N7.30 billion, and the Federal Capital Territory N6.77 billion as additional allocations. N6.26 billion went to Ebonyi, N6.19 billion to Enugu, N6.15 billion to Kano, and N5.97 billion to Oyo. N5.90 billion was allotted to Borno, N5.77 billion to Jigawa, N5.57 billion to Lagos, and N5.51 billion to Taraba. N5.51 billion went to Ekiti, N5.12 billion to Edo, N4.91 billion to Benue, N2.43 billion to Akwa Ibom, and N2.13 billion to Ogun.Â
The money is intended to significantly improve the lives of numerous underprivileged Nigerians by funding social intervention programs in the states and Federal Capital Territory. Dr. Obaje expressed confidence that these monies would be wisely used to enhance the lives of the impoverished in a significant way.
