Coronavirus: Adenuga donates 1.5 bn naira, Senators forgo 50% salary

More private sector donations continue to pour into Nigeria’s coronavirus combat efforts. The latest is from Mike Adenuga a billionaire businessman who is into telecoms.

Adenuga on Monday announced a 1.5 billion contribution to be shared between the federal government and Lagos State government. One billion to the federal government and 500 million to Lagos government.

Adenuga is the owner of Globacom, Nigeria’s second-largest telecom operator, which has a presence in Ghana and Benin. Aliko Dangote, Atiku Abubakar, Bola Ahmed Tinubu are some individuals that have made donations towards the COVID-19 fight.

Meanwhile, local media portals have reported that Senators have pledged half of their salaries towards the coronavirus fight. In a statement on Monday, Godiya Akwashiki, senate spokesman, said the monthly contribution would be sustainable until the country is declared free of the disease.

Akwashiki said the senate is ready to do whatever it takes to ensure that the country is free of the disease. “After due consultations following a keen review of the national efforts to contain the Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria…

“… the Senate wishes to announce that from March 2020, Distinguished Senators will be donating 50 per cent of their salaries to these efforts to stop the spread of the disease, otherwise known as COVID-19, in our country,” he said.

“This monthly contribution from the Upper Legislative Chamber will be sustained until Nigeria is declared safe from the ravages of this deadly disease,” he added.