Government of Gombe State has launched the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus NG-CARES, an assisted World Bank programmes supported by the federal and state governments to reduce the effect of COVID-19 pandemic which has crippled many businesses and forced some organizations to reduce their employees.
During the flagged off sensitization program on NG-CARES on Thursday at Education Resource Centre Gombe, the state commissioner of Trade, Industry And Tourism, Nasiru Muhammad represented by his counterpart from the ministry of Science And Technology, Aisha Maigari said embracing the program by governor Inuwa Yahaya shows his desire to stimulate Medium, Small and Micro businesses in the state and to revive businesses that were adversely affected by the pandemic.
He urged the participants and business owners in the state to use the opportunity NG-CARES is offering to apply for the grant to support their businesses in order to create wealth and reduce unemployment.
The state coordinator of NG-CARES, Michael Habila said the program is targeting over five thousand beneficiaries for the period of two years.
On his part, the program manager, NG-CARES Area three, Mozambique Yahaya said the initiative was to support both formal and informal Small and Medium Enterprises by giving them grants which will be monitored to ensure proper use.
In an interview, some of the participants who are business owners shared how the COVID-19 pandemic had affected their businesses while commending NG-CARES initiative, saying the grant will help revive their businesses.
