Cross River NG-CARES has received over N32bn

By Agba Jalingo

The NG-CARES programme is implemented by 5 various platforms in Cross River State, with various prescribed mandates. The 5 platforms include:

– Cash Transfer
– Community and Social Development Agency CSDA.
– Enterprise Development Fund
– FADAMA; and
– Public Workfare

The NG-CARES programme adopts a financial arrangement known as PforR, otherwise called programme-for-results. Meaning, States were supposed to use their money to do some prescribed work then they are reimbursed after verification by a team of Independent Verification Assessors (IVAs).

Whatever the IVAs present to the Bank as result, that’s what’s used in reimbursing States, the more reason why what goes to States is not uniform because it is based on results.

But the IVAs too are corrupt and usually bought over, that’s why even when there’s nothing on the ground, they are paid to post good results for the States to be reimbursed handsomely.

At the start of the programme in 2022, during Governor Ayade’s tenure, States claimed they didn’t have money, so banks gave each of them an advance which was supposed to be deducted from the first result. Governor Ayade got nine hundred million Naira (N900,000,000) advance in 2022. And the amount earned after the first IVA (Independent Verification Assessment), was nine hundred and seven million, eight hundred thousand Naira (N907,800,000). The bank removed their N900m advance and only a paltry N7,800,000 was paid to the State in February 2023.

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That first money, which was more or less the seed money for doing more work was siphoned by former Governor Ben Ayade through the Ministry of International Donor Coordination MIDC, making it impossible for the five implementing platforms to work for results that would have attracted the funds.

The second instalment of N10.6 billion was released to the State in December 2023 after the IVA and the third instalment of N20.6 billion was released in June 2024, after the IVA. Meaning Governor Otu has received N31.2 billion from the fund between December 2023 and June 2024.

But both Governors, through the MIDC, under former commissioner, Dr Inyang Asibong, and incumbent commissioner, Dr Hippolatus Lukpata, the Branch Manager of FCMB, Calabar Road, the Consultant, Dr Paul Adepelumi and Mr Christopher Anake, the Permanent Secretary in the MIDC, who doubles as the NG-CARES State Coordinator, are obviously incapable of accounting for the funds, if not culpable in misappropriating same.

The State said 1,700 persons have benefitted from the fund under Governor Otu, was N31billion used on 1,700 people?

Yet the State has also received three tranches of Electronic Money Transfer Levy EMTL, under Governor Otu, each not less than N7 billion. Other monies the State government has also received include our share of, Import Duty, Companies Income Tax (CIT), Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Customs External Tariff levies (CET) etc. They are all in billions.

About The Author

Citizen Agba Jalingo is an investigative journalist and a human rights activist.