GOVERNOR of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde has denied the news from the Federal Government it has given States the sum of N570billion to cushion the effects of hunger tagged; NG-CARES.
Makinde in his Newsletter said the news was a misrepresentation of facts, he insisted that the FG has not given the States such funds.
According to the letter available to SOJ WORLDWIDE, he said the funds were part of the World Bank assisted NG-CARES Project.
He added that it was funds already spent that the World Bank refunded, “it was a loan, not a grant.”
“Let me state categorically that this is yet another case of misrepresentation of facts. The said funds were part of the World Bank-assisted NG-CARES project—a Programme for Results intervention.
The World Bank facilitated an intervention to help States in Nigeria with COVID-19 Recovery. CARES means COVID-19 Action Recovery Economic Stimulus. It was called Programme for Results because States had to use their money in advance to implement the programme.
After the World Bank verified the amount spent by the State, it reimbursed the States through the platform provided at the Federal level. The Federal Government did not give any State money; they were simply the conduit through which the reimbursements were made to States for money already spent.
It is important to note that the World Bank fund is a loan to States, not a grant. So, States will need to repay this loan. Note also that NG-CARES, which we christened Oyo-CARES in our State, predates the present federal administration.
So, in direct response to the message, the Federal Government did not give Oyo State any money. We were reimbursed funds (N5.98 billion in the first instance and N822 million in the second instance) we invested in the three result areas of NG-CARES, which includes inputs distribution to smallholder farmers within our State.
In fact, when the World Bank saw our model for the distribution of inputs preceded by biometric capturing of beneficiary farmers, they adopted it as the NG-CARES model.”
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