COVID-19: Dangote assists PTF in testing Nigerian returnees

Wed, Jul 1, 2020
By publisher
3 MIN READ

Coronavirus Pandemic

THE Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) says it has continued supporting the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in testing Nigerian returnees toward reducing spread of Coronavirus in the country.

Ms Zouera Youssoufou, Chief Executive of the Foundation in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos, said that the foundation had assisted the PTF in conducting tests for over 500 Nigerian returnees.

She said that the test was to determine their COVID-19 status and ensure adequate isolation of returnees who test positive to the virus across the country.

According to her, as more Nigerians are being evacuated from various countries, Dangote Group offered assistance to the PTF in testing returnees as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme.

Youssoufou recalled that ADF had earlier donated a 500-bed isolation centre, mobile testing laboratory, 10 ambulances and three official vehicles, as part of its corporate support to Kano State.

“This is the usual way that Dangote Group through the Foundation reciprocates the cordial relationship that it enjoys from its host communities.

“The Foundation has so far assisted in the testing of over 1,000 people in Kano State, and provided Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), ambulances and SUVs in some other states in the northern part of the country,” she said.

Besides, Youssoufou said that ADF had also assisted the Group subsidiaries to donate relief materials, including food and cash, to ameliorate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in host communities across the country.

Youssoufou said the donation of food to host communities was synonymous with the company’s CSR activities in Nigeria.

“We realise that this is an unusual time and the pandemic has distorted the economy of everyone, so we now provide the food relief materials to the Group subsidiaries’ host communities,”she said.

She said that the gesture was in addition to the over N2 billion and other materials earlier donated by Dangote through the Private sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) to complement federal government’s efforts.

According to her, since the outbreak of the pandemic, the foundation on a daily basis, distributes bread to the vulnerable ones in the society to reach and sustain connection with the people.

She noted that ADF had signed agreement with the United Nations to purchase $4 million worth of testing supplies on behalf of CACOVID.

The Chief Executive added that the ADF had empowered over 106,000 women across four states in Nigeria with about N1.1 billion as part of its empowerment programmes in the country.

“The initiative, which is part of the Dangote’s Micro-Grant scheme, is aimed at poverty amelioration through economic empowerment of women.

“Through this programme, the Foundation has been able to empower 23,000 women in Sokoto; 34,000 women in Katsina; 21,000 women in Kebbi and 28,000 women in Zamfara.

“The beneficiaries of this programme were selected from the communities with primary consideration for vulnerable women, food distressed households with infants or children under five years old, disabled, divorcees, widows, and extremely poor residents in these communities,” she said.

Youssoufou said that the Foundation’s mission was to enhance opportunities for social change through strategic investments that improve health and wellbeing, promote quality education, and broaden economic empowerment opportunities.

NAN

– July 01, 2020 @ 17:35 GMT

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