Reps to probe NG-CARES over alleged failure to reach vulnerable Nigerians

By Gift Chapi-Odekina, Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee on NG-CARES has launched a full-scale investigation into the implementation of the NG-CARES 1 programme, following public outcry that the palliative initiative has failed to cushion the hardship faced by vulnerable Nigerians despite huge government funding.

NG-CARES — the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus — was conceived as a social safety net to provide relief after the COVID-19 pandemic and to mitigate the impact of recent economic reforms, including fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate unification.

Funded by the Federal Government with credit from the World Bank, the programme is in its final year of a four-year phase, with approximately $696 million (about ₦1.06 trillion) already disbursed to states and the FCT through various delivery platforms such as CSDP, FADAMA, SOCU, YESSO, SEEFOR, and GEEP.

Briefing newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, the Committee says the impact on intended beneficiaries remains invisible. “It is most surprising that the effect of these palliatives is not being felt by the target vulnerable groups in Nigeria after government has committed so much resources to this purpose,” the lawmakers said.

The Committee, invoking its constitutional powers under Sections 88 and 89, vowed to unravel what it described as a “disconnect between cause and effect” in the programme’s delivery.

The probe will seek answers to critical questions, including whether funds were embezzled, misappropriated, or diverted; if contract costs were inflated; and whether the procurement process met due process standards. It will also examine the role of Independent Verification Agents (IVAs) and Third-Party Monitors (TPMs) in ensuring accountability.

“Several states have claimed billions for social transfers. These beneficiaries are Nigerians that can be reached. If fake names have been used to claim social transfer, we will say so,” the Committee declared.

The lawmakers also questioned the utilisation of funds allocated for agricultural inputs, labour-intensive agricultural infrastructure, and market upgrades under Result Area 2 of the programme. “If we verify these claims, we will disclose the impact they have had on food supply, food prices, and the plight of ordinary Nigerians. If we are unable to verify them, we will name and shame the affected states,” they warned.

Billions of naira disbursed to Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) under Result Area 3 will also come under the microscope. “If the funds have been properly applied to provide social safety nets for vulnerable Nigerians, then Nigerians can be told where to find them. If the funds have been diverted, the affected states should restore the funds and utilize them properly,” the Committee insisted.

While stressing that the investigation is “not a witch-hunt,” the lawmakers said it is aimed at “setting the records straight” and ensuring that palliatives truly reach those who need them most.

“We want to establish a nexus, a clear cause and effect, between the resources provided by the Federal Government as social safety nets, and the relief impact that the Nigerian people feel,” the statement concluded.

The NG-CARES 1 programme is expected to end in December 2025, with a new cycle already being planned by the Federal Government.

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