Deputy Gov Inaugurates Bauchi NG-CARES Steering Committee

By Segun Awofadeji

As part of the state government’s commitment to increase basic services and livelihood support to the poor and vulnerable households across the state, the Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela, has inaugurated the state’s COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme Steering Committee, which is tagged (Bauchi NG-CARES).

Inaugurating the committee in his office yesterday, Tela said the programme was to shore up basic services and livelihood support to the poor and vulnerable households and facilitate recovery of SMEs through grants as well as to increase food security.

He said beneficiaries would be mined from the state’s social register, farmers’ register and other state databases generated through a transparent and acceptable process in line with the key performance indicators.

The deputy governor said the NG-CARES programme is an emergency operation designed to support budgeted plan on expenditures and interventions at the state level-targeting existing and newly emerging vulnerable and poor households, agricultural value chains, and Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) affected by the economic crisis.

Tela said: “We are delighted to commence the Bauchi State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme (Bauchi NG-CARES). This is an intervention by the World Bank, through the federal government to help stimulate sub-national economies and help their recovery from the economic damage caused by COVID-19 pandemic.”

He applauded State Governor, Mr. Bala Mohammed, for exhibiting keen interest in the programme especially by providing all the necessary support to fast track the implementation of the project in the state.

On his part, the State Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Modibbo Abdulkadir, who is a member of the steering committee, said that the Bauchi CARES programme is designed to help restore the livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable groups, maintaining food security and facilitating the recovery of small and medium scale enterprises.

Abdulkadir expressed confidence that the implementation of the project would contribute positively to the economic development of the state, and assured that members of the steering committee would work towards achieving the desired objectives.

Membership of the steering committee were drawn from the Ministry of Finance, Cooperatives and SMEs, Agriculture, Women Affairs and Social Development, Special Adviser on Social Investment, Chairman of BACYWORD among others.