Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has refuted a claim by President Bola Tinubu that the Federal Government gave N570 billion hardship funds to the 36 states in the country.
Makinde made the rebuttal while addressing Nigerians in a broadcast during the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protests against hunger and hardship.
It was learnt that President Bola Tinubu had said his administration had disbursed ₦570bn to the 36 states.
Responding to the statement in a newsletter shared on his X handle on Thursday, Makinde said the state was not aware of such a grant.
He said, ““I responded to a question from a concerned citizen of Oyo State regarding the claim that the Federal Government ‘gave’ States over N570 billion as some kind of ‘hardship fund’ for citizens.
“Let me state categorically that this is yet another case of misrepresentation of facts.
“The said funds were part of the World Bank-assisted NG-CARES project—a Programme for Results intervention.
“The World Bank facilitated an intervention to help States in Nigeria with COVID-19 Recovery. CARES means COVID-19 Action Recovery Economic Stimulus.
“It was called the Programme for Results because States had to use their money in advance to implement the programme.
“After the World Bank verified the amount spent by the State, it reimbursed the States through the platform provided at the Federal level.
“The Federal Government did not give any State money; they were simply the conduit through which the reimbursements were made to States for money already spent.
“It is important to note that the World Bank fund is a loan to States, not a grant. So, States will need to repay this loan.
“Note also that NG-CARES, which we christened Oyo-CARES in our State, predates the present federal administration.”
Makinde further explained that the loan came in two tranches to states, saying Oyo State got ₦5.98 billion in the first tranche and ₦822 million in the second tranche.
He added, “So, in direct response to the message, the Federal Government did not give Oyo State any money.
“We were reimbursed funds (₦5.98 billion in the first instance and ₦822 million in the second instance).
“We invested in the three result areas of NG-CARES, which includes inputs distribution to smallholder farmers within our State.
“In fact, when the World Bank saw our model for the distribution of inputs preceded by biometric capturing of beneficiary farmers, they adopted it as the NG-CARES model.”
