Cash Working Group (CWG) Meeting
Abuja, Nigeria
Meeting Minutes | 9 February 2017
Items Discussed / Discussions & Action Agreed / Responsible person for agreed actions / Time frame for acting / Remarks
  1. 1. Welcome and Introduction of Participants
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  • Francis Alimibe of Caritas Nigeria on behalf of Caritas Nigeria the host welcomed partners to their office and officially started the meeting. One round of introduction was made and the agenda was endorsed as presented.
/ NA / NA
  1. 2. Previous Meeting Minutes Validation and Action Points Follow-up
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  • OCHA clarified that they do not chair the CWG but provides coordination and secretarial support. This will be effected in the minutes of the previous meeting.
  • Tearfund/Crudan moved for the adoption of the minutes and Caritas Nigeria supported it.
  • CRS learning presentation would not be taken at the meeting as the focal point was not available.
  • Partners were reminded that at the last meeting they agreed to share their cash priorities so that the CWG would come up with common priorities for the group as recommended by the CTP symposium of 2016. OCHA will recirculate the 2016 CTP Symposium recommendations.
  • Partners are to respond by 17 February.
/ OCHA to share the Cash Symposium recommendations in April 2016 / 10 February 2017
17 / Propcom Mai-Karfi Presentation: Propcom was given time to present and introduce the organziaiton to the CWG,
Propcom Mai-karfi is an innovative, market-driven programme funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) that aims to reduce poverty in Nigeria. The programme works with government, the private sector and businesses to enable rural markets to work better for the poor.
The programme uses a ‘making markets work for the poor (M4P) approach in creating systemic changes in agricultural and rural markets by facilitating linkages with agricultural inputs.
Propcom is progressively working into the conflict zones of the north east. It is currently working in Yobe and Adamawa and has plans for expanding to Borno.
For more information, visit the website:
3. On-going and planned CTP related assessments / In the previous meeting, it was agreed for partners to share their planned assessments for to avoid overlapping assessments and maximize available information.To date, only DRC has complied.
On another note, partnersraised the continuing need to harmonise and standardise food basket values/ cash transfer values and average household size to guide programming and enable agencies to standardize their interventions. Since this has been taken up by the Borno CWG, there is a need to follow up and get the most recent update. noted that this was a task the Borno CWG was working on. / CWG members to share their planned assessments and executed assessment reports to the secretariat.
OCHA to share the recent CWG meeting minutes to CWG in Abuja. / 17 February
10 February
  1. Partners Updates
/ COOPI:In December 2016, distributed food voucher to 1800 HHs (Damaturu 730, Fika 385 and Potiskum 685). For January 2017, distributed food voucher to 1,000 HHs.
WFP: As of January 2017, WFP reached218,000 beneficiaries with cash based transfers in the following LGAs in Borno State; MMC, Jere and Konduga. In Yobe State, WFP covered Damaturu,Nuguru, Gujba, Gulani and Bade. The transfer value used is NGN23,500.
SCI: SCI reached 14,655 vulnerable households with food electronic vouchers in MMC, Konduga, Jere andBiu in Borno state. The funding is from ECHO, DRF and USAID/FFP.
UNHCR: Distributed shelter kits and cash grants of NGN30,000 to 300 HHs in Gujba and 200 HHs in Gulani Yobe state.
ICRC: In 2016, about 33,000 HHs were provided with CTP. For 2017, ICRC will engage in CTP for livelihood activities and early recovery programs.
PLAN: Engaged in multi-purpose cash grants. Reached about 1,000 HHs with grants from Swedish IDA in Mubi North and South, Adamawa. Scale-up is planned targeting Jere and MMC in Borno state, starting in March 2017.
CARITAS: Reached 33 HHs with CTP in AskiraUba with funds from Christian Aid. They have concluded assessments in northern Adamawa and southern Borno in preparation for health interventions. The report will be circulated once finalized.
OCHA: The extension of contract of the Cash Coordinator (Richard Acaye) is under process. Meantime, the CWG will be supported by Maria Olmedo and ChukwudiUkanacho from OCHA.
In relation to the ECHO-funded multi-purpose cash grant (MPCG) feasibility assessment through the Cash Consortium, he scoping mission initially planned for February will no longer push through. Instead the members of the Cash Consortium agreed that given het limited budget they have, they will use this for tools development and actual roll out of the assessment. An OCHA colleague from Geneva will arrive in late February, who will also give an orientation session regarding this proposed assessment. The assessment is piloted in two countries for a protracted crisis and on-set of emergency, with Nigeria chosen on the basis of the former. The Cash Consortium which is composed of OCHA, Danish Refugee Council, Mercy Corps, the Cash Learning Network and Save the Children. / OCHA to arrange for the orientation session once the mission from Geneva arrives / Within March 2017
  1. Any other business
/ CTP Map: This has been exhaustively discussed in previous meetings and there was an agreement already for field offices to provide inputs. The CTP map is not ready for the meeting due to limited response from the members. So it was discussed and agreed to streamline the processes. For instance, Food Security sector members submit their 3Ws inputs to the lead every 5th of the month. There should be an agreed predictable date for CWG members to submit their inputs to the map, too.
ECHO reiterated that it strongly supports cash coordination and has instructed its partners and will continue to push for partners to share necessaryinformation that will aid better coordination. ECHO requested OCHA to inform if partners do not comply.
Meeting Schedule: As agreed, the regular meeting schedule is every 2ndThursday of the month, 1400H. Venue will be provided with the presenting agency. Otherwise, OCHA is always ready to host the meeting. For upcoming meetings, the following agencies will share their learnings/experience:
  • March 9: to be hosted CRS (TBC)
  • April 13: to be hosted by Plan International
  • May 11:to be hosted by UNHCR (TBC)
Members with experiences other than food related CTP are requested to share their learnings to widen exchange among partners.
Caritas Nigeria, who chaired the meeting, urged for consistency in attendance of the CWG meetings which the members are in agreement with. WFP and Caritas moved and supported the adjournment respectively. / OCHA to produce the CTP map based on available submissions.
Further, discuss with IM colleagues and sectors how to harmonize the 3Ws to cover both the CTP and sectoral interventions. / By 10 February
By next meeting

Attendants:

  1. KabirAbdulkarim, ICRC9. Rip Kirby, Propcom Mar-karfi17. Nina Piccoli, WFP
  2. Jose Estuar, AAH10. SikulaniPhikulele, COOPI18. Nobleman Eleanya, Caritas Nigeria
  3. Abdullaih Sale, CRUDAN/TEARFUND11. Mustapha Tanko, SCI19. Opara Bernadette, Caritas Nigeria
  4. TirilTodal, ICEEDD12. Jonathan Kennedy, USAID20. Aftab Alan, Plan International
  5. Yusuf Jidda, Propcom Mar-karfi13. Chukwuma Amarachi, Caritas Nigeria21. Maria Olmedo, OCHA
  6. MichealIbe, Caritas Nigeria14. Justin Lousta, OFDA22. Katherine Dillen, OFDA
  7. Iffat Mahmud, Propcom Mar-karfi15. Samuel Ameh, Plan International 23. Marianna Franco, ECHO
  8. ChukwudiUkanacho, OCHA16. Clement Nwosu, UNHCR24. Francis Alimibe, Caritas Nigeria

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