The World Bank, through its Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES), has said all 36 states in Nigeria must intensify their efforts to implement its intervention programme.
Speaking on the status of the programme, World Bank, Lead Specialist, Social Protection and Task Team Leader for NG-CARES, Prof. Foluso Okunmadewa, said: “We have seen an upswing in the implementation, unlike what it was around March this year, where things were not as forthcoming as expected.
“We thought it is a good time to call 36 states and FCT coordinators to have a discussion on the programme, and it has been going very well.
Okunmadewa, who made the statement at the two-day implementation status review meeting with States’ Coordinators on Thursday in Abuja, added that the world bank has decided to meet with the coordinators in all the 36 states and FCT to look at the status of the implementation.
Okunmadewa said: “We will look at what are the things that they have achieved; what is working very well and what is a bit challenging.
The NG-CARES programme was launched in 2021 to leverage existing job creation, wealth creation, and poverty reduction programmes at the community level.
The programme is expected to cover areas like social transfers, basic services in the area of food security, and the area of small and micro-enterprises.
World Bank stated that about 40 million Nigerians would benefit from the $750m NG-CARES programme within two years, ending in 2023.
Okunmadewa expressed his delight in the programme that started on a good note in January, and many states have begun implementing it. Adding that: “Despite some state governments adding more resources to the resources provided as assistance from the World Bank, few states were still lagging in the implementation.
“The bank would look at some constraints in implementing the programme. “We provided advice, and some activities will be taken at the federal level, Okunmadewa added.
