President Muhammadu Buhari has said he had become the envy of other presidents because of the support his government had received from the private sector in addressing the social ills facing the country.
The president made the assertion yesterday in Abuja when he commissioned and handed security equipment valued at over N12 billion over to the military and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
In a statement issued by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, he said the items were donated by the Coalition of Private Sector Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) – a group of eminent Nigerian industrialists, including Aliko Dangote and Herbert Wigwe, who had also pooled N40 billion to combat COVID-19 in the country.
He said, “Today is indeed a very happy day for all Nigerians, and I can happily say that I am the envy of many presidents in the world.
‘’I am exceedingly honoured to be the president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, at this time. I am gratified to have the honour of leading a country whose private sector willingly galvanises itself to raise funds to enthusiastically support the government in resolving social ills.
‘’I am proud to say that there is nowhere in the entire world, except in Nigeria, where the private sector has voluntarily come together to assist government efforts.’’
On behalf of the Nigerian populace, he thanked all members of CACOVID, the leadership team and technical committee for their support and patriotism.
‘’This final gesture from CACOVID as you wind down your activities is equally very important.
‘’Thank you for supporting our administration’s efforts to strengthen the Police and Military as we face the security challenges that all modern nations face.
‘’These 350 vehicles and thousands of vests and helmets you are handing over today will go a long way in boosting the capacity of our forces,’’ he said.
The president noted that such a patriotic gesture was proof that nationalistic determination is still alive in Nigeria, in the face of enormous challenges pervading the world and the country.
Recounting the history of CACOVID, the president said the initiative was set up following a quick-thinking recognition of the impending crisis that could erupt due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
‘’The main objective of this concept was primarily to assist the government, at all tiers, in combating Covid-19 and mitigating its impact on Nigerians.
‘’Accordingly, the coalition designed a mechanism to pool funds voluntarily from an alliance that included more than 100 private sector institutions, organisations, banks, and individuals in order to build Isolation Centres, procure remedial Covid-19 medications, and provide palliatives to indigent Nigerians or those whose livelihoods were temporarily impacted by the outbreak.
‘’I am very much aware that in the first tranche of funds pooling, CACOVID collected almost N40 billion from the various private sector organisations who were more than happy to participate in the initiative and support its cause.
‘Out of the initial N40 billion contributed by the Coalition, about N17 billion was applied to speedily build Isolation Centres, acquire various medical equipment and gears, facilitate vaccine delivery, and urgently procure vital Covid-19 medications for those critically in need of them nationwide.
‘The balance sum of N22.2 billion was utilised to purchase staple food items, including rice, garri, noodles, pasta and soya, semolina, sugar salt etc, which were delivered to all states of the federation and the FCT, and distributed among all Nigerians who were in most need of them,’’ he said.
According to the president, in its drive to play its part in ensuring a golden Nigeria, CACOVID, which also received the support of the Central Bank of Nigeria, expanded its scope beyond combating Covid-19.
He added that following the unsavoury national unrest in 2020 and the continuing security challenges in the country, the coalition again galvanised support among private sector organisations to support the federal government in surmounting the security challenges.
The following state-of the-art security vehicles and equipment were procured for use by law enforcement agencies in Abuja and Lagos: 100 units of 14-tonnes Tata trucks, 100units of 12-tonne Tata trucks; 106 units of Toyota Vans; 64 units of Nissan Navara vans; 13,000 ballistic vests, 26,000 ballistic plates and 13,000 ballistic helmets.
In his remarks, Alhaji Dangote listed Folorunsho Alakija, Tony Elumelu, Segun Agbaje, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Femi Otedola, Adesola Adeduntan, Karl Toriola, Haresh Aswani, Raji Gupta and John Coumantaros as the moving forces behind CACOVID, who contributed several billions of naira each and supported the CACOVID effort with advocacy and their teams.
He identified members of that committee as leading Nigerian scientists and public health professionals, the Director-General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Director-General of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 , representatives of WHO, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Nations
