From Aminu Dalhatu
Kaduna State Government has inaugurated the State Steering Committee on COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme titled “Kaduna CARES”
While inaugurating members of the committee at Government house Kaduna, Governor Nasiru El-Rufai said Kaduna CARES programme was designed to help restore the livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable, maintaining food security and facilitating recovery of small and medium scale enterprises.
He said the programme was structured to deliver results in three key areas of social transfers, basic services and livelihood support to the poor and vulnerable.
Governor Nasiru Elrufai pointed out that over thirty three thousand households are expected to benefit directly, while over 180,000 people will benefit indirectly in the first phase while for the second areas, a total of 16,420 farmers will benefit directly, and over 100,000 people will benefit indirectly.
He disclosed that about three thousand businesses would also benefit directly while 60,000 people will benefit indirectly.
According to Elrufai , beneficiaries of the programme would be selected from the States social register, farmers’ register and other State databases generated in line with the key performance indicators.
The Governor said the mandate of the State KADUNA CARES Steering Committee was to provide oversight and policy guidance for the implementation of the programme in accordance with the operations manual.
Malam Nasiru Elrufai further stated that the duration of the programme was for 24 months, between 2021 to 2023 which would be implemented in 4 government agencies as delivery platforms.
“Conditional Cash Transfer Unit of the Social Investment Office, Community and Social Development Agency, FADAMA Office of the Ministry of Agriculture, and Kaduna Industrialisation and Micro-credit Board”
According to him, the Programme is an intervention by the World Bank through the Federal Government, to help stimulate sub-national economies and help their recovery from the economic devastation caused by Covid-19.
The Chairman of the committee, Mr Thomas Gyang said the programme was an emergency scheme designed to support poor and vulnerable households whose social status were worst hit due to economic impact of Covid-19 pandemic.
He stressed that series of related activities have been successfully carried out towards the take off of the Programme in the state which include establishment of a five member cares coordinating unit domiciled in the state planning commission.
Mr Thomas Gyang who gave an assurance that the programme would be successfully implemented, expressed gratitude to Governor Elrufai for the confidence reposed on the members of the committee.
