Nasarawa State has received N27 billion from the World Bank under the COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme.
This followed the World Bank verification team’s recent visit to the state, during which they assessed the projects implemented by the Nasarawa COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme (N-CARES).
The assessment puts the state as number two in the country in implementing the programme.
The state had earlier come tops during the second assessment visit, drawing N13 billion from the funding partner.
Speaking on the development, Governor Abdullahi Sule said the people of the state will experience more development projects through N-CARES with the fund.
“This time around, we came second. We didn’t come first again. It is always difficult to come first. The good thing about the second is that instead of N13.6 bn we got N27 bn. More money than we got the last time. Which means we have been able to meet up with more items. With the amount we received, we have to go back and work even harder in the implementation,” he said.
He pointed out that once other states realised that Nasarawa State received 13.6bn, everyone got up to work hard.
Governor Sule further disclosed that the state received another ten million dollars under the World Bank-assisted Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) programme after Nasarawa State performance during the Agro-Climatic Clinic recently held in Doma local government area where 250 000 dollars was distributed to some farmers.
He commended the chairperson of the N-CARES and state commissioner for Finance and Budget Planning, Hajiya Munira Abdullah, state coordinator of the N-CARES, Umar Ibrahim Dahiru, alongside unit coordinators for attaining the feat.
“Once the 13,6bn was given to Nasarawa State alone, every state will get up and work hard. So, everybody got up and started working hard, including Nasarawa State and other people. We worked very hard. That is why I am commending them,” he added.
He tasked the N-CARES officials on accountability and transparency, even as he urged them to provide details of the projects executed after the state received the first tranche of the World Bank funds.