*World Bank Describes Destruction of CARES Offices In Calabar As a Set Back For C'River Enterprise Development*

*.......Promises to Identify Areas of Support*

The World Bank office in Nigeria has described the wanton destruction and looting of multiple Cross River State MDAs approved for the implementation of the COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (CARES) during the recent hoodlums attack in Calabar, as a setback to the Cross River State Enterprise and Economic Development.

The State was among the first states approved by the World Bank CARES Project as a result of its adherence to procurement and due process policy in line with the global apex bank’s guidelines.

The World Bank Representative of the CARES Project and Task Team Lead, Professor Foluso Okunmadewa, made this known in a message to the Cross River Government through the Commissioner for International Development Cooperation and State Coordinator of the CARES Project, Inyang Asibong.

Okunmadewa who mandated the State Coordinator, Dr Asibong, to inspect and give assessment of the damage so as to identify possible areas of collaborative intervention with the State, described the attacks as unwarranted.

MDAs and Projects affected include the CR FADAMA Project which is to implement the Agro component. Also affected are the CR Smartcity Network to implement the ICT component and the CR Enterprise Development Funding Department to implement the MSME component. On ground to inspect the facilities with the Commissioner were the MD of the Cross River Smart City Agency, Mr Julius Agrinya and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Enterprise Development Funding ( EDF), Hon Marjorie Asuquo.

The Smart City Office which houses the data bank of records and documents from Result Area 3 of the C.A.R.E.S Program targeted towards MSME and ICT across the State were completely destroyed and burnt. Also vandalised were the FADAMA office and the EDF office at Prof Eyo Ita House.

Some of the items destroyed or carted away include Data server equipment, fiber rolls, office furniture and stationeries, laptops and electronic gadgets, metal gate, burglary proof, signposts, project vehicles amongst others.

Meanwhile, the team is currently working to ensure activation of the online platform (backup site) starting with the command centre which was earlier put in place by Governor Ben Ayade to forestall complete loss of database in circumstances such as these.

Nigeria is in a mess all because of our leaders

The server were looted by Professionals,not those dumb hoodlums.

The destruction was massive mehn

Even worse when you see it up close. Pictures don't do justice

The blame should go to Ayade who intentionally hoarded food items in the midst of excruciating hunger in the land. What he did is nothing but witchcraftcy.