NG-CARES Project Set-up for Alleviation of Poverty in Nigeria

The NG COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Program, NG-CARES has been described as a World Bank project in collaboration with state governments in Nigeria to alleviate poverty in various households occasioned by the advent of COVID-19.

General Manager, NG-CARES Result Area 1 in Bayelsa state, Mrs Oyintonyo Oboro made this assertion during a one day training program held in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital on the 16th of June 2022 for beneficiaries from over twenty communities in the state.

Mrs Oboro who gave an overview of the project noted that the Result Area 1 for the first batch of beneficiaries is focused on Labour Intensive Public Works, LIPW which is a department in Community and Social Development Agency, CSDA in charge of field and construction works.

In her welcome address to beneficiaries of the project, she urged them to see the project as a means of empowerment and reduction of unemployment in the state particularly in the rural areas.

Also speaking, Manager of the Labour Intensive Public Works,LIPW Engineer Nairobi Cletus explained that the duties of the department includes selection of eligible beneficiaries, undertaking enrollment, verification and biometric registration of beneficiaries.

NG-CARES Project Set-up for Alleviation of Poverty in Nigeria

Others include making provision and follow up to ensure that beneficiaries are paid their monthly stipends.

Mr Cletus equally explained to participants at the training that their duties are construction and rehabilitation of public roads, rehabilitation of water canals, land
clearing for boundaries, clearing of drainages and environmental sanitation.

He pointed out that beneficiaries are expected to work for a period of 4hours daily on 5days of the week under selected group leaders in the various communities adding that the monthly stipend is #15,000 naira.

While enumerating some benefits of the project such as reduction of youth restiveness, skills acquisition, infrastructural development and bringing cleanliness to the communities, he called on participants to encourage other young persons in the communities to make use of opportunities for any biometric registration of persons when government officials visit their communities as beneficiaries were chosen from all those who were captured in the state official register.

On his part, Project Supervisor, Mr Kikile Zekime, who highlighted the expectations of LIPW beneficiaries said they would work with the Community Development Chairmen and other stakeholders to identify specific public places that needs clearing and cleaning.

Mr Zekime noted that beneficiaries would be given Personal Protective Equipment such as rain boots, helmet and others however, he advised them not to use their work to disrupt the peace in the communities.

While speaking on the mode of payment, he warned participants at the training not to sublet their duties to other persons adding that those who do not work would not be paid.

Mr Kikile Zekime called on the leaders of the various communities to ensure that they mark the daily attendance sheet which would be submitted to the NG-CARES office to be scrutinized before payment.

While answering questions from the participants, he urged them to ensure that they carry out their tasks effectively as supervisors would visit the communities to ascertain how well the work is being carried out.

Mr Benjamin Abidde who gave a brief lecture on Entrepreneurship Training emphasized the need for money management saying beneficiaries should develop skills on how to manage their resources through planning and investment.

Mr Abidde explained that money should be divided into three places with 50% to care for a person’s needs, 30% for desires and 20% should be for savings.

He advised participants at the training to regularly evaluate how they spend their money which would help them to reduce expenses and save more.

Mr Ebiatudo Johnny in his lecture on Grievances Redress Mechanism noted that the project has set up a committee to settle disputes and grievances that may arise in communities during the work.

He pointed out that beneficiaries should register grievances to the Grievance Redress Committee which would verify, process and appraise the case and ensure that all aggrieved issues are settled and aggrieved persons are fairly treated.

Manager in charge of Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr Yela Alagoa noted that World Bank would monitor and evaluate the project to ensure that if the objectives were achieved, resources efficiently used and the communities benefitted from the project.

He pointed out that the target of NG-CARES is to empower 1,500 persons in two years hence all beneficiaries must work with all stakeholders in the various communities to achieve success.

Mr Yela Alagoa urged all participants at the training to carry out their tasks, duties and responsibilities as this would determine the continuation of the project in Bayelsa state.