World Bank says FG, States can utilise $750m NG-CARES fund

The Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES), has expressed confidence in the commitment of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to utilise the 750 million dollars NG-CARES fund before June 2023.

Prof. Foluso Okunmadewa, Task Team Leader (TTL) for NG-CARES, stated this is an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of the NG-CARES Implementation Support Meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.

Okunmadewa said that the programme was getting to its closing level, adding that all the key elements that were supposed to be in place were available as the states were committed.

” All the states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory are deeply committed and that give us the confidence that things will turn around and there will be close to 100 per cent performance going forward.

” Even the performance that we have now is not a bad, but we want the best, the maximum, because the challenges and issues are huge.This is an emergency operation.

” In fact, I can tell you that the resources that are available in this programme are very small compared to the challenges that we are talking about.

” So, in no time, I’m sure the states with the commitment they are showing now, with the eagerness to move very quickly, will utilise all of the resources.” He said.

Okunmadewa said further that the programme was designed as an emergency operation approved in 2020, with the understanding that it will close in June 2023.