Akpan Umoh
The Victim Support Fund (VSF) COVID-19 Taskforce, on Monday donated 3 solar-powered boreholes worth N54 million to three secondary schools in Akwa Ibom.
The three benefiting schools are: Methodist Secondary School Nto Ndang, Obot Akara Local Government Area; Comprehensive Secondary School, Ikot Okubo, Nsit Ubium LGA, and Afaha Inang Secondary School Ikot Idem Udo in Onna LGA.
Speaking during the inauguration and donation of the facilities to the benefiting schools in Obot Akara, the Chairman, Victims Support Fund, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), said the VSF would continue to work to provide relief to victims of insurgency and armed conflicts in the country.
Danjuma, who was represented by Mrs. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, Chairperson, Victims Support Fund Taskforce on COVID-19 said the VSF would continue to provide succour to vulnerable Nigerians, as well as institutional support to agencies involved in the fight against COVID-19.
He said that the VSF was seriously concerned about the plight of students and teachers, especially in rural populated communities.
“We want to see how we can contribute to the containment of the COVID-19, by helping public schools in low-income communities around the country, to observe the COVID-19 protocols.
“We are now going round the country to donate to 54 secondary schools in 18 states across all the six geopolitical zones.
“We want to tell you that the sustainability and the management of this facility is solely your responsibility.
So, protect it. We will set up an independent evaluator, who will be going around to check how the facilities are being managed. If you maintained these facilities and ensure sustainability, bigger ones may come back.
“At Victims Support Fund, we do not just want to account for the money, but to show the general public, how we use the money,” he said.
Earlier in his welcome remark, Mr Etuk Umoh, Principal of Methodist Secondary
School, Nto Ndang, Obot Akara on behalf of other benefiting schools thanked the VSF for considering their schools as beneficiaries.
Umoh promised to make judicious use of the facilities and protect them from vandalism.
He thanked the donor and government for the kind gesture, stressing that it would go a long in the fight against spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
“We want to assure you that the facilities that you have provided here will be utilised judiciously, preserved and protected.
“We are really very happy to the VSF for what they have done to us today,” Umoh said.
Our Correspondents reports that other items were; 15 pieces of 4litre hand sanitizers, 360 bottles of 500ml liquid hand wash and 15 cartons of bleach.