FG Never Gave N570 Billion to 36 States - Seyi Makinde Counters President

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has disputed President Bola Tinubu's claim that the Federal Government disbursed ₦570 billion to the 36 states to support livelihoods. Makinde clarified that this amount was not a direct grant from the federal government but rather part of the World Bank-assisted Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) program.

Makinde explained that NG-CARES is a "Programme for Results" intervention aimed at helping states recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Under this program, states initially used their funds to implement specific projects, and the World Bank later reimbursed them through a federal platform. Importantly, this reimbursement is considered a loan, not a grant, meaning states are required to repay the amount.

The governor emphasized that the funds were meant to support recovery efforts in areas such as agricultural input distribution and that the Federal Government merely served as a conduit for these reimbursements. He further noted that this program predates the current administration.

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