The Chairman of the House Committee on NG-CARES, Abubakar Kusada, has pledged the legislature’s full support for the NG-CARES programme, describing it as a lifeline for poor communities and an important tool for building resilience among vulnerable Nigerians.
He made this declaration during a stakeholder’s meeting in Abuja, according to a statement by the Information and Communications Officer of NG-CARES, Suleiman Odapu.
Mr Kusada explained that the legislature would continue to work closely with the executive to deliver on poverty alleviation, adding that oversight visits to states would be part of this partnership. He stressed that “no community should be left out” in the ongoing interventions designed to cushion households and businesses from economic shocks.
He further noted that NG-CARES is more than just a government programme but an initiative centred on dignity and recovery. “NG-CARES is more than a programme, it is a lifeline and about families regaining their dignity, businesses reopening doors of opportunity and rebuilding communities for a sustainable future,” he said. According to him, “NG-CARES stands as one of the most ambitious and people-focused initiatives, reaching households, businesses, and communities across the 36 states and the FCT.”
The World Bank representative, Prof. Foluso Okunmadewa, commended the legislature’s involvement, describing it as a positive sign for the sustainability of the programme. “The legislature’s active participation gives confidence that NG-CARES will endure as a national instrument for poverty alleviation and resilience, even beyond donor support,” he stated.
The National Coordinator of NG-CARES, Dr Abdulkarim Obaje, also used the occasion to thank the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, for establishing the Committee on NG-CARES. He said the committee’s creation aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which emphasises inclusive growth and development, particularly for poor and vulnerable citizens.
Commissioners for budget and planning from Cross River, Kebbi, Sokoto, Gombe, Ebonyi, Bauchi, and Nasarawa states were present at the meeting.
The NG-CARES initiative, supported by the World Bank, is designed to expand access to livelihood support, food security services, and grants for poor and vulnerable households. It is implemented across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, leveraging existing government structures to deliver tangible results for communities most in need.