By Modupe Gbadeyanka
About 100 desk officers have been trained by the Oyo State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) as part of activities to kick-start the Nigeria Covid-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES).
The one-day training, which is aimed at providing further clarity on the design and implementation arrangement of ND-CARES in the state, had participants from Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Local Government Areas and LCDAs within Oyo State.
While delivering his keynote address, the Chairman, Oyo CSDA, Mr Babatunde Eesuola, said NG-CARES is aimed at reducing the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the state.
He stated that Oyo State, like other states in the federation, received a World Bank loan through the federal government for the implementation of the NG-CARES program.
The Chairman stated further that the World Bank Assisted Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) had successfully completed and officially closed across the country in 2021, while the current NG-CARES is a replacement of CSDP in the state.
He added that Oyo-CSDA is one of the delivery platforms to be used for the NG-CARES program in the state, while others include Oyo State Cash Transfer Unit (OYSCTU), Oyo State Labour Intensive Public Workfare (OYLIPW), Oyo State Agricultural Development Agency (OYSADA)/FADAMA and Oyo State Investment Public-Private Partnership Agency (OYSIPA).
The Board Chairman disclosed that the state will soon embark on the replication of activities simultaneously with the new World Bank assisted NG-CARES program in the state.
He noted that the training is result-oriented, expressing optimism that the training will avail participants the opportunity to identify roles and responsibilities as stakeholders.
Mr Eesuola also said the training will adequately equip them for the task of successful implementation, monitoring, and supervision of the new project in the state.
Earlier in his welcome address, the General Manager of the agency, Mr Salau Jelili explained that NG-CARES is an emergency relief intervention to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the livelihood of people in the state.
He added that the programme will run for the next 2 years, to provide basic micro infrastructural projects on education, health, water/sanitation and nutrition.
He, therefore, charged participants to pay attention and contribute meaningfully in the course of the training.
During their separate presentations Mr Ikechukwu Chikwe, Prince Sola Oladeji, Mrs Wemimo Bode-Raji and Engr. Bisola Adabanija took the participants on the overview of the program, program for result, operating manual, monitoring and evaluation.
Adedapo Adesanya 
Aduragbemi Omiyale