By Ike Uchechukwu

The Cross River State Government has domesticated the state Operations Manual of the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (CARES) ,Programme tagged “Ben-CARES”.

The Operation Manual was adopted in Calabar by the state government and heads of delivery units of the programme.

Speaking, Gov. Ben Ayade,represented by Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Tina Agbor, disclosed  that the state government had shown care in the state through his humanitarian activities.

Ayade further  said that since 2015 when he became governor of the state, he had created sustainable jobs for the youths and vulnerable in the state with a view to uplift their standard of living.

“Since 2015, the state government created a social security policy known as food on the table; and thousands of residents in the state are beneficiaries of this gesture.

“The State Government has worked out a system where the most vulnerable in the state are to be captured for this programme,” he said.

He advised the Steering Committee of the Programme to ensure that the targeted class in the state are properly captured, especially those in the rural areas.

On her part ,Dr. Inyang  Asibong ,Commissioner for International Development Cooperation, who is the Chairman of the State Steering Committee, said the programme would cover the 18 local government areas of the state.

Asibong hinted  that the programme would be carried out under six delivery units which include Community and Social Development Programme, Public Workfare, Cash Transfer, FADAMA, Agriculture and Grants/Loan.

She explained that the programme is selected to target existing and poor vulnerable households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For the Public Workfare, our youths will be required to do some work that will fetch them a monthly pay, while the Cash Transfer is for the vulnerable, pregnant women and the aged,” she said.

The State Commissioner for Justice, Tanko Ashang, who adopte the Operational Manual, lauded  Asibong for working assiduously  to achieve the success of the CARES programme in the state.

Ashang described the Ministry of International Development as the state’s gateway to the International Community.