Dipo Olowookere
By Dipo Olowookere
Chairman of BUA Cement, Mr Abdul Samad Rabiu, has announced the donation of an additional N3.3 billion for the fight against Coronavirus especially in Lagos and Kano States.
The home state of the billionaire businessman, Kano, had been in the news recently as a result of the rate of death in the ancient city.
Worried by this, Mr Rabiu, who had earlier donated a huge sum of money to the Nigerian government for COVID-19, said the new donation should be used to equip two existing permanent facilities in Kano and Lagos States.
“I view with deep concern, the increased rate of spread of the Coronavirus especially in Kano and Lagos despite concerted collective efforts to curb the spread and effects of the virus in Nigeria,” he said in a letter he personally signed.
“Based on what is going on especially in Kano at the moment, we have decided in the immediate, to commit a N3.3 billion grant to a working group made of the Presidential Taskforce, NCDC and other stakeholders in equipping 2 existing permanent facilities in Kano and Lagos States – whilst collaborating with the teaching hospitals in those states,” the business mogul announced.
Mr Rabiu said, while announcing how the money should be shared between the two states, stated that, “I am immediately committing and making available, through the BUA Foundation, two grants of N2 billion Naira for the Kano-based intervention and N1 billion for Lagos State being the two epicentres of this virus in Nigeria.”
He further said, “A sum of N300 million will also be made available immediately in cash to the Presidential Task Force to assist with logistical and operational activities of the taskforce.”
“This grant is in addition to BUA’s earlier contributions to the private sector led CA-COVID coalition and donations to other states.
“The working group will be expected to use resources at its disposal to ensure these facilities – to be determined by the Working Group – are fully equipped in the shortest possible time.
“I believe this will effectively help to expand the scope of interventions, ongoing research as well as support already stretched medical facilities dedicated to this fight.
“We look forward to receiving at the earliest, grant proposals from the working Group. Thank you,” he said.
