Sani Haruna
Governor Dr. Nasir Idris of Kebbi State has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustaining the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme through its domesticated version, KAURA CARES, to ensure the state remains among the nation’s top performers.
The governor gave the assurance at the North-West Zonal Stakeholders’ Consultative Meeting held in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
Idris noted that NG-CARES, initially designed to cushion the socio-economic impact of COVID-19, continues to address lingering challenges faced by Nigerians despite the pandemic being over.
He praised the programme’s achievements, citing the decision of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the National Economic Council to secure additional World Bank financing for its renewed phase under the theme of economic resilience.
Commending the Federal NG-CARES team led by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, alongside the Federal Technical Committee and National Coordinator, Dr. Abdulkarim Obaje, Governor Idris hailed their success in delivering Phase 1 of the intervention.
He also lauded the performance of North-West states, particularly Kebbi and Zamfara, for consistently ranking among the top performers in independent verifications.
In his remarks, Dr. Obaje described NG-CARES as a deliberate Federal Government initiative, supported by the World Bank, to cushion socio-economic shocks and promote grassroots recovery.
Similarly, World Bank representative Professor Sulaiman Yusuf commended Kebbi’s exceptional record, which he said influenced the choice of the state as host for the zonal meeting.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Abba Sani Kalgo, attributed Kebbi’s success to what he described as Governor Idris’ “cast-iron support.” He highlighted key interventions such as cash transfers, agricultural input distribution, wet market infrastructure, and community-led micro-projects.
The consultative meeting brought together stakeholders from the North-West states, the Federal Government, the World Bank, and development partners to review Phase 1 of NG-CARES and strategize for the next phase.