According to the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES), the program has benefited more than nine million Nigerians.
This was said by Dr. Abdulkarim Obaje, the National Coordinator of NG-CARES, at the program’s sixth Zonal Peer Learning and Experience Sharing Event on Friday in Akure.
Obaje expressed optimism that the program would end poverty and lead to beneficial changes in Nigerian society.
“Well over 9 million people have benefited from the intervention.
“NG-CARES is prepared to support the federal and state governments in their efforts to end poverty in Nigeria.
Thus, the program’s scope has been reorganized to include more disadvantaged Nigerians. And it’s performed incredibly well.
“State governors are asking the World Bank, via the federal government, to provide further funding, which has also been granted to the extent of $500 million, which is a sign of how well it has done.
“We are traveling in a zonal fashion across states while simultaneously engaging with the recipients. Numerous recipients are providing us with testimonials on the benefits they have received from the NG-CARES initiative.
He said, “So, as has been said numerous times, the goal of this learning event is to share learning experiences.”
He applauded the nation’s state governments for investing more than N150 billion in the initiative.
“Not only have we surpassed this goal, but we have also surpassed every initial aim that was established for us. Why? due to the fact that state governments are funding this with their own funds.
It demonstrates tolerance and their faith in the system we have established.
He stated, “In order for the impoverished in Nigeria to breathe, we now need more funding from the federal government and more funding from the state government.”
According to Dr. Lire Ersado, the World Bank’s Task Team Leader for NG-Cares, the organization has invested $750 million in the initiative.
In his capacity as the previous Task Team Lead for the World Bank, Prof. Foluso Okunmadewa, represented Ersado, who outlined the ways in which the initiative had affected the lives of several Nigerians. (NAN)