Governor Malam Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has reiterated his administration’s commitment to strengthening grassroots empowerment and sustaining programmes that have direct impact on citizens’ lives.
The governor gave the assurance when he received the National Coordinator of the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme, Dr. Abdulkareem Obaje, and his team, who paid him a courtesy visit in Dutse alongside a documentary crew from Abuja.
Dr. Obaje commended the Jigawa State Government for its strong support and transparent implementation of the NG-CARES initiative since its launch in 2021, describing the state as one of the “frontline performers” in Nigeria.
“The NG-CARES programme has run now for four years, and we have reimbursed states to the tune of $696 million, reaching about 70 million Nigerians through this intervention,” he said. “We are now moving from recovery to building resilience among the poor and vulnerable.”
According to him, Jigawa State has accessed about $9.6 million under NG-CARES, out of a potential $30 million, based on selected Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs). He noted that the state’s implementation has been credible and community-driven, adding that NG-CARES 2.0 is expected to take off in December once the subsidiary loan agreement with the Federal Ministry of Finance is finalized.
Dr. Obaje praised Governor Namadi’s leadership style, citing his responsiveness to community feedback and quick action to resolve implementation challenges.
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In his response, Governor Namadi described NG-CARES as “one of the most impactful programmes that has truly touched the lives of our people,” and reaffirmed Jigawa’s full support for the continuation of the initiative.
“I was one of the governors who took the campaign for NG-CARES continuation to both the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the World Bank,” he said. “I can confidently say NG-CARES 2.0 is our brainchild because we promoted its continuity.”
The governor emphasized that the programme plays a crucial role in social security, agricultural promotion, and livelihood improvement, pledging full cooperation for the next phase.
The visit, part of a nationwide engagement by the NG-CARES coordination office, aims to document outcomes, gather feedback, and showcase success stories as preparations for NG-CARES 2.0 advance.
