The Chairman of the Kano State fund-raising committee on COVID-19, Muhammad Yahuza-Bello has disclosed that as at Wednesday, about N353,909,118 donations had been received from members of the public.
Recall that on Sunday, March 29, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje had inaugurated a 37-member fund raising committee on COVID-19, headed by Yahuza-Bello who is the Vice-Chancellor of the Bayero University, Kano, BUK.
Addressing newsmen on Thursday in Kano, the chairman disclosed that apart from cash donations, other items like fumigation materials, cartons of biscuits and macaroni were also donated.
He said: “As of yesterday [Wednesday], the total amount collected and deposited at Kano State COVID-19 Support account domiciled at UBA, stood at N353,909,118:00 only.
“It is worth of note that apart from major donations listed above, various amounts (varying from N10 to thousands of Naira) are being deposited into the account.
“Other donations were given in kind by some companies such as Lee Group, which donated Fumigation Materials; Marshall Biscuits, which gave 21,000 cartons of Marshal Biscuits and Kaura Macaroni, which donated 1,000 cartons of Kaura Macaroni.
“Also, the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Kano State branch has donated 60,051 pieces of eggs and Alh. Abba Sumaila 5,000 sacks of spaghetti.
“Other popular donations in kind include Aliko Dangote who has donated 600-bed isolation centre facility at Sani Abacha Stadium, while Alh Abdulsamad Isyaka Rabiu donated a 3-storey building at Court Road to serve as COVID-19 Isolation Centre,” the chairman disclosed.
Mr Yahuza-Bello, who described the committee as apolitical, restated their commitment to reach out to every individual or corporation for a donation.
He also described the fight against COVID-19 as a collective fight, calling on the public to comply with experts’ advice in a bid to contain the pandemic.
“I must also add, at this juncture, that this committee is not political one and has nothing to do with politics.
“You can all attest to this from its composition. It is purely an entity borne out of compassion, kindheartedness, sympathy and humanitarian gesture.
“It is aimed at assisting and supporting the weak, the poor, the needy and anybody that could conveniently be termed as vulnerable at this trying moment of our history.
“The fight against COVID-19 is not for governments alone; it is a collective fight, a flight every one of us needs to give helping hand for the good of all of us,” he said.
