Stakeholders Laud FG’s NG-care Programme, Seek More Funding 

By Onuminya Innocent In Sokoto 

Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states beneficiaries of the federal government NG-cares programme have lauded the federal government for the initiative, aimed at cushioning the effects of Covid-19 pandemic and appealed for more funding of the program.

The stakeholders, including beneficiaries and implementing agencies drawn from the three states, made the appeal in Sokoto at a stakeholders’ town hall meeting organized by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, to receive feedback from them.

Most of the beneficiaries, who took turns to make presentations on how the programme has empowered them economically and improved their socio-economic wellbeing, urged for more funding to make them more productive members of the society.

The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba at the event said the NG-scare programme is one of the policy option explored by President Muhammadu Buhari administration to cushion the effects of Covid-19 pandemic and ameliorate poverty in the country among vulnerable Nigerians.

Represented by Rev Aso Vakporaye, Agba noted that, this programme followed the outbreak of the pandemic which ravaged many economies of the world with devastating consequences on the livelihood of the poor and vulnerable individuals, formal and informal businesses, which prompted the federal government to access a World Bank concessional loan in the sum of US$750 million on behalf of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT to stimulate the local economy.

On his part the chairman, Federal CARES Technical Committee, Aso Vakporaye, said the town hall was organized to provide the government the opportunity to interact with implementing agencies and beneficiaries of the programme.