Due to the rising cases of Coronavirus cases in the country and the need to curb its rampaging effect on the Nigerian economy, Nigeria’s cabinet ministers have donated 50 per cent of their March salaries towards the federal government’s efforts to combat the pandemic.
READ ALSO: Coronavirus: Otedola Joins Other Billionaires In Rescuing Nigeria
Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said on Saturday, that the donation was coordinated by the Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki.
Saraki, in a statement issued by Mohammed’s office on Saturday, in Abuja was quoted to have said that the donation was a gesture of solidarity and support as part of the federal government’s efforts to tackle the disease.
Saraki stated: “This global virus outbreak will require nations, continents and smaller communities to pull together to contribute their resources and support one another. This will facilitate an early resolution of the problem.”
The Ministers also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his leadership role in curbing the menace of the pandemic in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Nigeria now has 81 confirmed cases of the coronavirus after 11 new cases were confirmed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, late Friday.
Elsewhere, Italy, on Friday, recorded the most daily deaths of any country since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and Spain had its deadliest day, just as British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, became the first major world leader to test positive.
The donations by the ministers are coming at a time when other well-meaning Nigerians are lending financial support to the government in order to rid the country of the scourge.
On Friday, renowned businessman, philanthropist, and former chairman of Forte Oil PLC, Femi Otedola, joined the likes of Aliko Dangote, Tony Elumelu, Hebert Wigwe, Abdulsamad Rabiu and other Nigerians in addressing the country’s COVID-19 situation as he pledged to contribute one billion Naira.
Revealing this on his Instagram page, Otedola wrote: “I will be contributing one billion Naira towards the eradication of COVID-19 across Nigeria. We must all do what we can to flatten the curve.”
