Covid-19: VSF Donates 60,000 Rapid Test Kits Worth N210m to NYSC

• Donation is single largest to FG, says VSF

By Kasim Sumaina

The Victims Support Fund (VSF), Monday in Abuja, donated no fewer than 60,000 rapid test kits worth N210 million Naira to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), through the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on Covid-19 for national response.

The Fund, through its Covid-19 Taskforces Chairperson, Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, said that the gesture was the largest single donation of test kits to the federal government since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country.

According to Akere-Ogunsiji, the donation is geared towards the reopening of the NYSC orientation camp on May 17.

Speaking while handing over the test kits to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF)/ and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19, Boss Mustapha, she said: “I’m meant to understand that this is the largest single donation by any agency or organisation to the federal government since the break out of the Covid-19 pandemic and the rapid test kits worth the sum of N210 million.”

Akerele-Ogunsiji, during the presentation, also highlighted the Fund’s recent activities, stating: “We have supported the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) with data monitoring and tele-surveillance equipments, we have provided food medical support to 18 States across the country specifically on the request of the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19, we have provided bore hole facilities, 4000 liter’s of solar panels facilities and several others to support the gradual reopening of schools.”

She said: “We have been supporting the federal government’s effort through Gen. T. Y Danjuma’s instructions since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic breakout,” noting: “On behalf of our Chairman, we will like to continue to support the federal government and as you know, NYSC is one of the most crucial components in terms of high density population environment across the country and we will like to continue to support the efforts of the government to ensure that we reduce community-to-community transmission of the pandemic across the country and I will like to commend the efforts of the PTF which is now PSC for the incredible work that you have done to nip the pandemic in the bud.”

Responding, Secretary to the Government of the Federation/Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19 (PSC), Boss Mustapha, thanked the Chairman, Victims Support Fund (VSF), Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, for the donation, noting that the test kits will be administered transparently.

He, however, called on others to continue to donate, adding “We are not yet out of the woods and all should be done to protect Nigerians”.