Jigawa gov reaffirms commitment to grassroots empowerment

Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has reaffirmed his administration’s determination to deepen grassroots development and sustain programmes that directly impact the lives of citizens.

The governor stated this when he received the national coordinator of the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme, Dr. Abdulkareem Obaje, who paid him a courtesy visit in Dutse alongside his team and a television documentary crew from Abuja.

Dr. Obaje commended the governor and the government of Jigawa State for their tremendous support of the NG-CARES programme since its formal inception in 2021.

He noted that the programme, which was established as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, was designed to assist state governments in reflating and jumpstarting the economy at the rural level.

“The NG-CARES programme has run now for four years, and we have reimbursed the state to the tune of $696 million. We have reached about 70 million Nigerians with this intervention,” he said.

“We have passed through the stage of emergency and recovery. We are now at the stage of building resilience among the poor and vulnerable in Nigeria.”

He further said that the initiative, which started with a total of $750 million, has seen states like Jigawa play a vital role in implementing interventions that directly touch lives.

“Jigawa State is one of our frontline states. You have drawn up to $10 million under the NG-CARES programme, about $9.6 million so far—not up to the $30 million expected, but that depends on the DLIs selected and how they were implemented. The implementation here has been very successful, and there is a lot of credibility and ownership that we have seen from Your Excellency.”

Dr. Obaje also highlighted that the new phase of the initiative, NG-CARES 2.0, is set to become effective soon.

“Your Excellency, we are moving swiftly to NG-CARES 2.0. I have received a report that Jigawa State is fully ready to participate in NG-CARES 2.0. The only major thing outstanding is the subsidiary loan agreement.

“As soon as this agreement is finalized by the Federal Ministry of Finance, the programme will be declared effective. The tentative date we are looking at for effectiveness is around 9th December. We have about a month to go.”

Commending the governor’s proactive leadership, Dr. Obaje said, “I recall your visit to a community where you received a complaint about a particular DLI that was not functioning optimally. And on this point, you directed action to be taken. That is why Governor Namadi listens to the people. We greatly appreciate your leadership.”

In his response, Governor Namadi thanked the NG-CARES team for the visit and described the programme as one of the most impactful initiatives reaching the poorest communities in Jigawa State.

“NG-CARES is one single programme that has truly touched the lives of our people,” he said.

He recalled his advocacy for the continuation of the programme at both the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the World Bank level.

“I was one of the governors who took the campaign of continuation of NG-CARES not only at the Governors’ Forum but also at the World Bank level. I insisted to the then Country Director that if there is any programme that has brought impact to our people, it is NG-CARES.”

The governor explained that the idea of NG-CARES 2.0 was born out of that advocacy: “I can tell you that without fear of contradiction, NG-CARES 2.0 is our brainchild because we promoted its continuation.”

Governor Namadi pledged continued state support for the programme, emphasizing its value in strengthening livelihoods and promoting social security.

“We will support these programmes because we have campaigned for their continuity. As a government, we will give all the support that is required because we know this programme has great benefit to our people—in terms of social security, promoting agriculture, and improving livelihood,” he said.

The visit was part of a nationwide engagement by the NG-CARES coordination office to document outcomes, gather feedback, and showcase success stories as preparations for NG-CARES 2.0 advance.