By Gom Mirian
The Federal Government has spent N14.6 billion on 160,572 individuals in six northern states, the National Coordinator, Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES), Mr. Abdulkarim Obaje has said.
Obaje who disclosed this on Wednesday at the end of a ministerial town hall meeting, said the fund was part of the 750 million dollars World Bank loan sourced in 2021 which spans through 2023.
According to him, each of the states was allocated 20 million dollars while the FCT and the NG-CARES got 15 million dollars each. Adding that hundreds of thousands of small and medium-scale enterprises benefited from the programme to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said: ” Bauchi State receive N4.2 billion; Gombe State N3.3 billion, Katsina State N3.04 billion, Kano State N1.6 billion, Jagawa N1.4 billion, and Plateau N1.081 billion.”
Also, Rev. Aso Vakporaye, Chairman, Federal Care Technical Committee of N-G CARES who represented the Minister of State, Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Clem Agba, said the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged many economies.
He added that Federal Government enunciated several policy measures under the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on micro and small-scale businesses, the measures also covered peasant farmers who relied on daily subsistence income to survive.
“The Federal government accessed a World Bank concessional loan to scale up its programme under the social protection agenda and to respond swiftly and appropriately to the challenges posed by COVID-19.
“The 750 million dollars loan was accessed on behalf of the 36 States and the FCT to stimulate local economy and increase household consumption among the poor and vulnerable,’’ he stressed.
