US, Qatar support FG’s Safe School Initiative with $4m

The United States Government and the Government of Qatar have made a donation of $2m each to the Safe School Initiative of the Federal Government.

The safe school initiative is a project aimed at meeting the education needs of thousands of children affected by the ongoing conflict in the North-East, specifically in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

The donation of the US was made by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle and was received by the Minister of FINANCE, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Qatar had earlier made its donation through the Qatar Foundation.

The US ambassador said his government was proud to support the initiative owing to the fact that the program would help to reduce the negative impact of insurgency in the north-east region.

He said, “The US government is proud to support this initiative. Nigerian children who have been affected by the insurgency do not also need to see their hopes for education sacrificed.”

Speaking at the event, Okonjo-Iweala said, in a bid to complement the efforts of the federal government, a Multi-Donor Trust Fund had been set up within the United Nations system.

The $4m, the minister stated, would be transferred into the MDTF which is being managed by the United Nations Development Program and UNICEF.

She explained that the fund would co-finance projects and programs of the SSI alongside the Nigerian fund.

Since the launch of the fund last year, the federal government had committed the sum of $10m while Germany, African Development Bank have each donated 2m Euro and $1m.

Other donors include Norway-$1.5m; United Kingdom-1m pounds in technical assistance and $10m by a coalition of Nigerian business leaders.

The minister said, “The US government, through United State Agency for International Development has made a donation of $2m into this MDTF and we are here to witness the signing of the MoU between the UN and the US government.

“The government of Qatar, through the Qatar Foundation, has also made a contribution of $2m into the MDTF.”

Providing more update on the initiative which was set up last year during the wake of the abduction of the Chibok girls, the minister said about 1,007 students have now been enrolled in various schools across the country through the project.

US, Qatar support FG’s Safe School Initiative with $4m