The Nigerian Foundation for the Support of Victims of Terrorism (VSF) Monday said it has finalised plans to begin the 3rd phase of the COVID-19 Emergency Task Force intervention.
The programme, which starts on the 16th November, 2020, would have the Northwest and North Central states of Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Benue, Niger and Plateau as beneficiaries.
The spokesman of the VSF COVID-19 Emergency Task Force, Alkasim Abdulkadir, in a statement sent to Blueprint in Abuja Monday said the chairman of the VSF, General TY Danjuma, had approved a third phase of the intervention given the continuous prevalence of coronavirus and hardship across the country.
The statement quoted Danjuma as saying that though the COVID-19 numbers have dropped in the frontline states, there are other new frontiers of infection, the food insecurity and the inadequate availability of PPEs for front line workers and citizens still remains a challenge.
“We are grateful that according to information from the Presidential Task Force (PTF), coronavirus infections have greatly reduced, but danger has not been fully averted, and we must remain very vigilant.
“After the successful interventions in the Northeast, Southwest and Southeastern regions of the country, the Northwest and North Central states of Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Benue, Niger and Plateau have been selected as the benefiting states,” Danjuma said.
The statement also quoted the chairperson of the VSF COVID-19 Task Force, Mrs. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, as saying that the 3rd phase of VSF COVID-19 palliative program would give the VSF the opportunity to consolidate on the impact of its various interventions of giving succour to low income communities in Nigeria.
She said: “The VSF Emergency Task Force on COVID-19, working in close collaboration with the PTF will construct boreholes, sanitation and hygiene stations in schools to ameliorate the current spread of the novel Coronavirus in the FCT, Abuja, Plateau and Nasarawa states and ensure that it eases the safe re-opening of schools.
“Our other support to schools will include hand sanitizers, sanitizers, wristbands and facemasks for children and reusable masks for teachers in primary schools in low income communities.
“In this phase, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) and National Council for Women Societies (NCWS) will also be receiving support for the underserved and vulnerable populations.”
