Ondo State Government has bagged an excellent Award as the Best State in the South and third Best Performing State in Nigeria on NG-CARES Programme.
NG-CARES is a Federal Government initiative to expand access to livelihood support that provides food security services and grants for poor and vulnerable households to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic. The programme is being implemented by the States.
The award was presented to the State Government on Wednesday at the World Bank and Federal CARES Interactive Support Mission in preparation for the forthcoming second IVA visit to the State, held at the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Speaking at the formal presentation of the award to the State Government, the Chairman, Federal CARES Technical Committee (FCTC), Rev Aso Vakporaye, specifically lauded the state government for setting the pace for others to follow.
He described the NG-CARES Programme in the state under Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, as a huge success and commendable.
“I’m glad for Ondo State. You have shown that you are setting the pace, down in the South. So, I’m glad we have seen successes. It is not an easy thing to be a good doer, what you are doing is good. You are lifting people up from poverty.
“So, together we are kicking poverty out of the shores of Nigeria. We are coming back to Ondo State to kick start the second leg and we will win”, Rev. Vakporaye added.
Receiving the award on behalf of the State Government, the Chairman of the State Steering Committee and Ondo State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan, appreciated the Federal Government for the award.
He lauded the Federal Government for recognizing the state’s outstanding performance and achievements in the NG-CARES programme, promising that the state under Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu will do more to lift more people out of poverty.
The Commissioner who was full of joy that the state came first in the Southern part and third in the entire country, said the award is a testament to the outstanding performance in the implementation of the NG-CARES.
“I have to thank Mr. Governor first for giving us a free hand to implement this laudable programme that is to impact the vulnerable people in our society, and also thank the Federal Government and World Bank for putting this programme together.
“The award we received is a testament to the impact the programme has in our State and how it has been implemented here and I want to assure our people that going forward, we will do more.
“The proper implementation for NG-CARES is that the $20m is a pool of fund available for all states. It is only earmarked for each state of the federation to access when you show your results. it is warehoused at the Central Bank of Nigeria, not coming to the State directly, but there are different guidelines and eligible criteria that are associated with it”, Igbasan said.
Also, the World Bank Task Team leader, Prof Foluso Okunmadewa, applauded the performance of the state in all the programmes in the state, encouraging the government to do more.
The National Coordinator, NG-CARES Programme, Abdulkarim Obaje, said more technical support will be provided for the implementing agencies of the NG-CARES in the State.
“We have also used this opportunity to congratulate Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for the wonderful performance during the first round of IVA assessment which was done in January 2023 on the basis of which all the states in the federation were reimbursed, and Ondo State came first in the South and third in the entire federation.
“The state implementing agencies are being given guidance and preparing them for the second round of IVA which comes up between 3rd and 7th of July, 2023.
“IVA means Independent Verification Agency, this is the body that has been put in place by the federal government to verify result that have been produced by the state under the NG-CARES programme.
Also present at the event are the State Accountant General, Mrs Toyin Oni, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Bayo Philip and other top government functionaries.
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