Yemisi Izuora
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, on Wednesday, May 6, donated N70 million to the Presidential Task Force, PTF, on the Coronavirusvirus, COVID-19 pandemic.
Simbi Kesiye Wabote, executive secretary, NCDMB, handed over a letter communicating the donation to Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation, SGF, and chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19,in Abuja.
Wabote explained that Timipre Sylva, minister of state for petroleum resources, who is also the chairman of the NCDMB Governing Council is passionate about the oil and gas industry’s support to the fight against COVID 19.
He noted that despite the board’s recent donation of ambulances and medical supplies to its host states of Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers, to support its response against the pandemic, the governing council still considered it necessary to approve additional support to the national effort.
Responding, the SGF thanked the NCDMB for the donation and assured that it will be used judiciously in furtherance of the national response. He added that medical equipment and relief materials were required in all states of the country.
He regretted that COVID-19 had become the biggest health challenge of our generation and every available resources will be required to contain it.
Mustapha charged Nigerians to take personal responsibility and obey all the guidelines issued for the easing of the lockdown.
He stressed that countries that had overcome the virus had achieved the feat through the active cooperation of their citizens.
Also, Mustapha said that the pandemic had provided the perfect opportunity for Nigerians to promote Local Content in all facets of the economy.
He noted that all countries of the world were scrambling for ventilators, test kits and other medical consumables, thereby spiking the cost of the items.
This development he said underscored the urgency to focus on the local production of all critical items we need as a nation.
He added that focusing on Local Content in key sectors of the economy will also help to stop capital flight and create much needed jobs locally.
The SGF confirmed that the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had begun to introduce a number of funding packages that are designed to promote medical, pharmaceutical and hospitality businesses that would depend on what we produce, manufacture and consume locally.