HEDA asks ICPC to investigate state govts for corrupt dealings in FG’s NG-CARES

The group accused state governments of slashing the number of beneficiaries of the NG-CARES scheme and the grants from the federal government.

Ayoola Babalola • January 22, 2023

Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA

HEDA has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged corrupt dealings in the administration of the federal government’s NG-CARES programme by states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) is a federal government programme which expanded access to livelihood support and food security services, and grants for poor and vulnerable households in the wake of the Corona Virus pandemic.

The petition, signed by the chairman of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, Olanrewaju Suraju, tasked the agency to review the domestication of the NG care program by state governments and alleged malpractices in the program.

The petition relied on the allegations made by the senator representing Ondo central, Ayo Akinyelure, who accused state governments of unjustifiably reducing the number of participants in the program as commissioned by the federal government and also making unsanctioned deductions from the funds disbursed.

Mr Akinyelure stated in a viral video that the federal government’s NG-CARES programme, implemented through the Bank of Industries (BOI), was intended to benefit approximately 3,000 small-scale business owners per state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with each business owner receiving N3,200,000 in grants to support their respective businesses.

“The lawmaker further revealed that after the Federal Government disbursed the money through the various state governments, converted the program to State programs, specifically cited Ondo State who converted the program to Ondo-CARES and Oyo State converted it to Oyo-CARES.

“Senator Ayo Akinyelure further alleged that the number of beneficiaries was reduced by the State Governments from over 3,000 to just 100 while the amount received by each beneficiary was also reduced.

“In Ondo State, the amount was reduced to N300,000, while in Oyo State, the amount was reduced to N250,000. He specifically mentioned that he does not know about other states in the federation,” the petition read.

The group added that the allegations should not be overlooked, further tasking the ICPC to make its findings public after the investigation.

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