By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Leader of Nigeria’s delegation to 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79), Vice President Kashim Shettima has announced the donation of the sum of $600,000 relief fund from victims of flooding in Nigeria from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The donation came after Shettima held a meeting with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation led by its head of Global Development Programme, Dr Christopher Elias, on the sidelines of the ongoing UNGA in New York, United States.
The intervention is specifically for flood victims in the Northeastern Borno State and other health sector initiatives, with an additional $5million grant approved for Lagos Business School and partners to develop the agricultural economics of industrial cassava.
Shettima reiterated the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to place health, nutrition, and agricultural development at the forefront of nation’s national agenda, a release by the Vice President’s spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha quoted him as saying.
“We are deeply committed to addressing the pressing developmental challenges facing our nation, particularly the significant malnutrition crisis,” Vice President Shettima stated.
He emphasised the Nigerian government’s dedication to integrity and effective leadership in tackling these issues, pointing out that there is an urgency in securing locations for maize production under the Telemaze programme
The release added, “We recognize the critical importance of food security and industrial agricultural development. The Cassava Accelerator programme, in particular, holds immense potential for our economy.
“We are pursuing a whole-of-government approach to digitisation and data exchange systems, which we believe will revolutionise our public services,” he added while reiterating the government’s focus and commitment to digital transformation.
Shettima, a former governor of flood-hit Borno state further expressed firm belief that “with the expertise” of Nigeria’s ministers, “and the continued support of partners like the Gates Foundation,” the nation remains confident in its “ability to drive meaningful change and improve the lives of all Nigerians.”
In response, the President of the Global Development Programme at the Gates Foundation, Dr. Christopher Elias, said the Foundation is deeply worried about the severe flooding in Borno, and is “committed to supporting Nigeria in times of crisis.”
The Foundation also pledged support for Nigeria’s health sector reforms, particularly in the fight against polio.
“We’re impressed by the national task force’s efforts to eliminate variant polioviruses by year-end,” Dr. Elias noted.
Earlier, Nigeria had secured $320 million to support the country’s mortgage financing, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and other key sectors at the ongoing UNGA 79 from US Chamber of Commerce.
