Succour came the way of the over 1,000 hitherto dejected
traders affected by the Kano Market fire disaster few months ago as business
mogul, Aliko Dangote, made good his promise and donated N500m to rehabilitate
the them.
Aliko’s donation which came through the Aliko Dangote Foundation
was in response to the appeal by the Kano State government for contributions
from public spirited individuals and corporate organizations to help the fire
victims come back to business.
No fewer than seven fire disasters have occurred in five major
markets across the state within the past few months with no fewer than 1,400
shops and goods estimated at N28 billion gutted by the inferno.
It would be recalled that the state government had in the wake
of the last disaster in February, which affected Singa Market, set up a
judicial commission of inquiry and an appeal committee headed by Alhaji Dangote
and another businessman, Usman Tofa, both indigenes of Kano, to help raise
funds to help the fire victims most of whom lost everything they sell to the disaster.
Dangote, after the inauguration of his committee, pledged N500m
and assured the traders that his committee would work assiduously to garner
funds to ameliorate the suffering of the traders.
Presenting the N500 million cheque on Monday afternoon
in Kano, CEO of Aliko Dangote Foundation, Mrs. Zouera Youssoufou, explained
that the Africa’s richest man was deeply touched by the plight of the affected
traders and that was why he has ensured that the money was made available to
them.
Reechoing what Dangote said earlier on his involvement in the
provision of succour to the traders, Mrs. Youssoufou sated the Chairman of
Dangote Group would also see other areas he would collaborate with the state to
bring relief to the traders as quickly as possible.
She stated that Dangote Foundation has been identifying with
various projects in the state and that the donation was just one of the many
interventions of the foundation in Kano State.
In his address of welcome at the ceremony, the state
Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Cooperative and Tourism, Hammed Rabiu,
commended Dangote for the good gesture and said the state would be eternally
grateful for the many helps he has rendered to the state in times of need.
“As you can see, with this physical donation, Dangote did not
just talk by promising assistance, he is walking the talk”, he stated.
Speaking on the donation, the state governor, Dr. Abdulahi Umar
Ganduje, while thanking Dangote for always rising to the occasion anytime the
state called, urged other Kano sons and daughters to emulate him and contribute
to the growth of the state.
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