• Corporate Organisations, Individuals Yet To Redeem Pledges To Fund
PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari yesterday ordered the immediate release of
N5 billion to the Victims Support Fund (VSR) to enable it carry out its
assignment of providing succour to the immediate families of those
killed by Boko Haram insurgents in the North-east, and other
terrorist-related activities in other parts of the country.
The President’s directive followed a briefing by the Presidential
Committee on Victims Support Fund led by the erstwhile Defence Minister,
Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd) at the Council Chambers,
Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Most individuals, corporate organisations, including the federal
government, who made pledges to the fund at its launch in July last
year, are yet to redeem their pledges.
Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan had on July 31, 2014 launched
the VSF in the heat of the controversy generated by the abduction of
the 276 female students of the Government Girl’s Secondary School,
Chibok, Borno State in aid of the victims and immediate families of
those who died as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency.
Jonathan pledged N5 billion on behalf of the federal government, but
Danjuma lamented that one year after, the federal government, some
corporate organisations and individuals are yet to fulfil those
pledges.
Altogether, N58.79 billion was realized at a fund-raising dinner
which was held at the Old Banquet Hall, State House, with N8.79 billion
in excess of the initial N50 billion target.
Some of the biggest donors included Theophilus Danjuma, $10 million;
Aliko Dangote, N1 billion; Jim Ovia, N1 billion; Tony Elumelu, N2.5
billion; Mike Adenuga, N1 billion; Wale Tinubu, N1 billion; Arthur Eze,
$5 million; Mohammed Ndimi, $5 million; Kabiru Rabiu, N500 million;
Dahiru Mangal N500 million; and Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, N500 million.
Others included a group of oil sector players, N17 billion; bankers,
N15 billion; telecom sector players N1 billion; state governors, N3.7
billion; and ministers, N50 million.
But concerned about the report of the federal government’s non
fulfilment of its pledge, the President directed the Head of Service of
the Federation, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, to facilitate the immediate release
of the N5 billion pledged by the Federal Government since August 2014
last year.
Danjuma had told the President that out of the N55.92 billion pledged
at the fund-raising dinner for the fund in August last year, N33.54
Billion was still outstanding, including N5 billion from the Federal
Government. He said that the VSF currently has N23.33billion in four
bank accounts and that the Committee received approval from the
immediate past administration to incorporate the fund into a Trust Fund,
to “insulate it from political interference”.
Danjuma had urged the President to use his good offices to persuade
all organizations and individuals to honour their pledges to the
Committee. “We will continue to ask people who pledged to honour their
pledges. You the press should assist us in raising the fund, N20 billion
is a drop in the ocean compared to the needs and if really the war
stops tomorrow, already those displaced are really looking for support
to go back to their homes and this N20 billion is nothing,” he said.
Buhari urged the Committee to ensure proper coordination with other
government agencies providing support and assistance to victims of
terrorism. The President assured Danjuma and members of the VSF
Committee that his administration was taking proactive steps to defeat
terrorism in the country.
He said despite the challenge of acquiring the much needed strategic
equipment and weapons to confront the terrorists, the Nigerian military
has recently gained a lot of ground in its effort to defeat Boko Haram.
He added that the full deployment of the Multi-National Joint Task
Force (MNJTF), under the auspices of member-states of Lake Chad Basin
Commission, would further boost ongoing military operations against the
insurgents.
(c) Guardianngr
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