By Adeniyi Adedeji, Ilorin
The Kwara State government has received a grant of N100 million at the weekend from the World Bank to strengthen its management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fund was said to have been channeled through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, after the state the state had met certain criteria as stipulated by the global financial institution.
The Kwara State government said that the fund was part of the ongoing World Bank-assisted Regional Disease Surveillance System Enhancement, REDISSE, project coordinated by the NCDC to bridge funding gap in the states for the implementation of the COVID-19 response and incidence action plan.
REDISSE project is said to implement critical and time sensitive priority activities related to the pandemic.
A statement released by the spokesperson of the COVID-19 Technical Committee in the state, Rafiu Ajakaye, said, “The COVID-19 Response Fund for the states will cover the priority activities in areas such as trainings, workshops, meetings, seminars, procurement of goods and services, operating costs, and consultancy/non-consultancy services.” a statement by Rafiu Ajakaiye, spokesman of COVID-19 in Kwara State said.
Ajakaiye added that the fund was also meant for activities in the approved Incident Action Plan, adding, “Kwara State is one of the few states that have met the criteria laid down by NCDC and World Bank, hence this has triggered the disbursement of N100 million to the state.”
