United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) has donated little above 5 billion naira (USD14 million), through the UBA Foundation, to complement government’s efforts in the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic.
The donation will provide significant and much needed support to Nigeria and 19 other African countries, by supplying relief materials, critical care facilities, and financial support to Governments. The UBA support programme will be allocated as follows:
N1 billion (USD2.8 million) to Lagos State Government in Nigeria; N500 million (USD1.4 million) to Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; N1 billion (USD2.8 million) to the remaining 35 states in Nigeria; N1.5 billion (USD4.2 million) to UBA’s presence countries in Africa; and N1 billion (USD2.8 million) for medical centres with equipment and supplies, free Telemedicine call centre facility.
UBA Group Chairman Tony O. Elumelu, stated the pan-African bank will fund a medical centre immediately in Lagos, Nigeria, with beds for isolation and ICU facilities, managed and operated in partnership with Heirs Holdings’ healthcare subsidiary, Avon Medical Hospital.
In addition, UBA is providing a free telemedicine platform, that is physician-led, to provide direct access to medical advice to citizens, in compliance with social distancing requirements.
“This is a time when we must all play our part. This global pandemic must bring citizens, governments and business leaders together – and quickly. As we see a rapidly increasing number of cases of the coronavirus in Nigeria and Africa, the private sector has to work hand in hand with various Governments, in stemming the spread of the global pandemic”, Elumelu stated.
UBA is operating in 20 African countries and globally in the United Kingdom, the United States and France.
In similar vein, a Nigerian industrialist, BUA has donated N1billion to support the fight.
Speaking on the donation, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group said that that the donation was necessitated by the need to support the government’s effort to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic whilst also adding that the N1billion donation will be done through the Central Bank of Nigeria Led “Private Sector Coalition Committee against COVID-19”.
“This donation will not only provide additional needed funds to the government and NCDC’s efforts but will also serve to protect healthcare and medical workers on the frontlines of fighting the pandemic. In addition to donating the ordered medical supplies and equipment to the two most populated states in Northern and Southern Nigeria, we have also selected 7 states across all geopolitical regions in Nigeria where significant members of the BUA workforce and their families are situated to help preparedness and response to the challenges posed by the pandemic. Each of these 9 states will receive about 100,000 protective facemasks, 1000 high grade medical protection and isolation gear, 2000 protective goggles, 1000 gloves and 1000 testing kits amongst other things.” Rabiu added.
Other donors include Dangote cement Plc and Zenith Bank with N100 million each. This gesture is in addition to the N200 million earlier pledged by the Aliko Dangote Foundation, ADF, to help curb its spread. Priam Group owned by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar also donated N50 million.
Hope this money will get to those that needed it most to set up good health facilities.