CHIKA NNABUIFE
The State COVID-19 Action Recovery Economic Stimulus (CARES) Steering Committee, under the leadership of Madam Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs. Chiamaka Nnake, recently held a discourse on the continued implementation of the NG-CARES program in Anambra State.
The Federal Government through Federal CARES Committee in collaboration with the World Bank and Anambra State Government developed this program for the poor and vulnerable persons who were severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic in Anambra State.
The state implemented phase one of the programme for most of 2022 and is about commencing the implementation of phase two of the program.
The programme focuses on vulnerable persons such as old people (75 years and above), the chronically ill, the unskilled, economically active youths (18-45 years), widows, and orphans to be supported across the selected result areas.
The programme is aligned with the Governor’s social welfare program as it ensures the poor and vulnerable persons in the State are continuously supported. Some of the achievements so far include 2438 beneficiaries, who were drawn from the State Social Register (SSR) and were paid 3 cycles of stipend, the labour-intensive public workfare had 1,212 beneficiaries who received 1 cycle payment also drawn from the SSR.
The livelihood support programme had 500 beneficiaries who were provided basic skill training and one-off grants. We completed 41 micro projects across 15 communities, and 2,710 farmers received inputs such as seedlings, fertilizer, vaccines, maize, and chicks. 7 farmers were provided agricultural assets, 323 SMEs were provided grants and 68 SMEs received IT support including software and hardware components.
Present at this meeting were the State Steering Committee Members – Prof. Sylvia Ifemeje (A-G/ Commissioner for Justice); Mr. Ifeatu Onejeme (Commissioner for Finance); Dr. Foster E. Ihejiofor (Commissioner for Agriculture); Sir Paul Nwosu (Commissioner for Information); Mrs Ifeyinwa Obinabo (Commissioner for Women Affairs); Engr. Dr. Felix Odimegwu (Commissioner for Environment); Mr.Emma C. Onyilofor (DG Strategy Execution and Evaluation); Dr Chukwudi Okoli (State Accountant General); and Mrs. Stephanie Keri-Uzor (Permanent Secretary Budget & Economic Planning).