The Government of the State of Osun, on Thursday, inaugurated its steering committee for the COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (CARES) tagged ‘Osun-CARES’.
Speaking during the inauguration at the Osun State Secretariat, Abere, Governor of the State of Osun, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola said the Osun-CARES initiative was part of the Nigeria CARES programme for results.
Oyetola, describing the programme as a facility by the World Bank aimed at alleviating the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on citizens, charged the steering committee on dedication and exceptional performance that would earn the State access to the intervention fund.
“We are all witnesses to the Covid-19 pandemic and its effect on the economy. And I must commend this initiative as part of efforts to address the Post-Covid-19 impact on the economic and social life of the people.
“One unique thing about this initiative, like the SOML, is that it is a program for result. We are going to be evaluated based on whatever we are able to deliver in line with the template provided by the World Bank.
“At this time in the state, we need all the support we can get. We need funds to execute the various programmes we have mapped out.
“Osun is used to competition and this is great motivation for us. I’m glad that we are doing what we should at this time, and I believe we will put in our best at the appropriate time to ensure that we are not left behind among the states.
“This is a competition involving all states including the FCT. We should take nothing but the best out of this programme”, Oyetola said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, and Chairman of the Osun-CARES Steering Committee, Prof. Olalekan Yinusa, described the scope of the intervention as social protection, agriculture and micro-projects in different communities that would be of immense value to Osun.
In defining the platforms to be deployed for the implementation of the deliverables, Yinusa said Osun will be using the Community and Social Development Agency, the Livelihood Support Programme and the FADAMA project.
Yinusa said that these were platforms that had existed and delivered results according to the records of the World Bank, adding that the people in these platforms have the capacity to deliver on the projects having been previously trained by the World Bank.
