More windfall for Nasarawa as World Bank disburses N27bn for NG-CARES, 21.5m USD for other projects
Following the outcome of the third assessment under the World Bank assisted Nasarawa COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme (N-CARES), Nasarawa State has received another windfall of twenty-seven billion naira for coming second out of the 36 states in the country.
Governor Abdullahi Sule disclosed this while presiding over an expanded state executive council meeting at the Government House on Tuesday.
Governor Sule said as part of his administration’s drive for inclusivity, he has to inform participants at the meeting about every positive development coming into the state.
He explained that it is the responsibility of those attending the meeting to own the project by first identifying key projects to be executed with the funds.
The Governor added that like during the disbursement of the N13.6bn when Nasarawa State emerged first in the country, traditional rulers and major stakeholders are being carried alone as they are expected to participate in supervising the implementation of the identified projects.
“This time around we came second. We didn’t come first again. It is always difficult to come first. The good thing about the second is that we now get instead of 13.6bn we got 27bn. More money than we got the last time. Which means we have been able to meet up with more items. With the amount that we received, we have to go back and work even harder in the implementation,” he said.
He pointed out that once other states realized that Nasarawa State received 13.6bn, everyone got up to work hard.
While commending the Chairperson of the N-CARES and State Commissioner for Finance and Budget Planning, Hajiya Munira Abdullah, State Coordinator of the N-CARES, Umar Ibrahim Dahiru, alongside unit coordinators for attaining the feat.
“Once the 13,6bn was given to Nasarawa State alone, every state will get up and work hard. So everybody got up and started working hard, including Nasarawa State and other people. We worked very hard. That is why I am commending them,” he added.
He however tasked the N-CARES officials on accountability and transparency, requesting them to provide details of the projects executed after the state received the first tranche of the Worod Bank funds.
“Now we have the second disbursement and as I said, I am going to meet with them today and see what did we do last time and the record that we have. Because I said we have included our royal fathers to be witnesses, I have included our major stakeholders. Let us know what and what we did so that even when I am not here tomorrow I have my list that this 13.6bn, this is how we spent it,” he said.
Governor Sule further disclosed that the state received another ten million dollars under the World Bank assisted Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) programne after Nasarawa State performance during the Agro-Climatic Clinic recently held in Doma Local Government Area where 250 000 dollars was distributed to some farmers.
He pointed out that under the World Bank assisted programme, the state has no hand in the selection of the projects to be executed, with the money disbursed to be used in executing identified projects in Lafia, Doma and Toto, with Keffi and Nasarawa earmarked for the next projects.
“The next two places to be considered arw Keffi and Nasarawa. The selection of the contractors will be done now and the projects will commence on the September 1,” he said.
He added that Nasarawa State has also been listed in eight different programmes identified by the World Bank.
“One of the programme of great interests to me is the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER). Under that programme, 7 states out of the 36 states and FCT are qualified, with each state to be given 4m USD.
“With all these new discoveries of minerals that we are having we are trying to see how Nasarawa State indigenes will be able to have some level of participation and role. NASIDA will work with the council to be able to identify individuals to be able to be part of it. That is what we will be promoting in that area,” he stated.
Governor Sule further announced that the World Bank has also approved 2.5m USD under the AGILE programme in Nasarawa State, with another five million dollars for the upgrading of 148 Primary Healthcare Centres across the state.