Dr Michael Tidi, Chairman of the Warri South Local Government Area on Tuesday received the Delta State Covid-19 Action Recovery Economic Stimulus (D-CARE) team in his office at the Council’s Secretariat.

Tidi who spoke during the meeting said he was glad to see the team in his office, stressing that the visit shows that the team was ready to do a good job.

He assured the Delta-CARE team of the Council’s support, saying that he will give them the necessary support to ensure that the Federal Government programme succeeds.

Tidi, also appealed to the team not to rely solely on the poverty map from the Delta State Ministry of Economic Planning in considering communities that would benefit from the programme.

He said, “Hearing you speak shows you know what you want to do. All we should do is to give you the needed support to ensure that this laudable programme succeeds.

“If every arm of government is doing what your team is doing, the system will work better.

“I want to appeal to the team that they should not rely solely on the Poverty map from the Delta State Ministry of economic planning.

“We have other communities in the urban areas that are tagged poor. We also have some riverine community who are also poor.

“We are going to give you all the necessary support that you need to succeed.”

Earlier, Mrs A.A. Orubu, Technical Head, Result Area, D-CARE, who was represented by Dr Kester Dibia, who led the team to the office of the Warri South Council Chairman, said the team was in the office of the chairman to intimate him about the work of the team.

Orubu said the Delta Covid-19 Action Recovery Economic Stimulus (D-CARES) Programme is an off shoot of the Nigeria CARES(NG-CARES) Programme which is a World Bank Assisted emergency intervention aimed at supporting State Governments budgeted Program of expenditure in responding to the COVID-19 crisis by restoring the livelihoods and food security of poor and vulnerable households and promoting recovery of micro, small and medium, Enterprises(MSMEs) that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

She explained that the Nigeria CARES Programme is being implemented across the 36 States of the Federation and FCT. The total euvelop for the Program is $750 million US Dollars while each State was given allocation of $20m US Dollars.

“The Nigeria CARES Programme is being implemented across the 36 States of the Federation and FCT. The total euvelop for the Program is $750 million US Dollars while each State was given allocation of $20m US Dollars.

“Poor Rural Communities are targeted using the Delta State Poverty Map for selection of Communities who have expressed interest in the Programme. 19 of such Communities will stand to benefit in the first year of t Programme and 18 Communities in the second year of the Programme making a total of 37 Communities during the 2 years period.

“The principle of first come first serve would be put to play. It is pertinent to inform you that some Communities from your Local Government are already keying into the Programme and if they fall within the Poverty zones might stand to benefit from the Programme,” Orubu said.

On the Role of the council on the programme, Odubu said the council will form a NG/D-CARES Local Government Review Committee which will be headed by the Council Chairman.

She added that the “CDDSIU, LGA, Line Ministries and Communities are to work assiduously as a team to be able to achieve and deliver the D-CARES results that would warrant reimbursement to State Government and Prosperity for all Deltans.”