The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has pledged to support the current effort by the Nigerian government against Coronavirus or Covid-19 with a whooping N200 million.
The ADF’s intervention is considered the largest single donation by a corporate organization in the country to contain the spread of coronavirus since a foreigner was tested positive last month in Lagos.
L-R: Senior General Manager Operations, Dangote Cement Obajana Plant, , John M. Gwong; Honourable Minister of State, Mines , Steel and Solid Minerals, Dr, Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah; Group Executive Director, Strategy, Capital Projects & Portfolio Development, Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin; Director (PRS) Federal Ministry of Mines Minerals Solid Development, Mrs. Okani Grace, during the visit Dangote Cement Obajana Plant in Kogi State
It would be recalled that the Aliko Dangote Foundation also committed about N1billion to the fight against the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Africa.
The foundation directly supported the Nigerian government’s Ebola containment efforts through strategic investments that built the resilience and strengthened Nigeria’s health system in a manner expected to endure beyond the Ebola crisis period.
Among others, the foundation during the Ebola crisis supported the FG through the followings: Provision of funding for the establishment of the National Ebola Emergency Operations Centre (EEOC) in Yaba, Lagos; provision of 12 units of Thermal Cameras across Nigeria’s International Airports with training for 160 staff/personnel of the Federal Ministry of Health, Port Health Services Department, on the use of the Thermal Cameras; provision of W.H.O-certified Personal Protective Equipment, PPEs, against Ebola; donation of US $3 Million donation to support Africa Union’s intervention against Ebola in West Africa, and also complete logistics support for the returnee volunteers on Ebola intervention across countries ravaged by Ebola.
President Muhammadu Buhari had then commended Mr. Aliko Dangote for what he described as “remarkable sacrifices in eradicating Ebola virus disease and polio in Nigeria.”
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, Ms Zouera Youssoufou who was represented by the Health and Nutrition Programme Officer, Maryam Shehu-Buhari at a donor coordinating meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020 said the donation was part of the Foundation’s cardinal objective.
The Foundation is also the only and the wholly Nigerian donor that attended the meeting and made monetary pledge.
To this extent, she said the Dangote Foundation has earmarked N124million that will support facilities to help prevent, assess and respond to health events at Point of Entry to entry.
