One year after the pledge was made, President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday directed the Head of Service of the Federation, Danladi Kifasi, to facilitate the immediate release of the N5 Billion pledged by the Federal Government since August 2014 for the Victims Support Fund (VSF).
The President gave the directive after receiving a briefing from the VSF Presidential Committee headed by Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd.) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Briefing the President, Danjuma had told the President that out of the N55.92 Billion declared after the fund-raising dinner for the Fund in August last year, N33.54 Billion was still outstanding, including N5 Billion from the Federal Government.
According to him, the VSF currently has N23.33 Billion spread across four bank accounts and that the Committee had received approval from the immediate past administration to incorporate the fund into a Trust Fund, to “insulate it from political interference”.
Danjuma urged the President to use his office to persuade all organizations and individuals indebted to honour their pledges to the Committee.
President Buhari in response, urged the Committee to ensure proper coordination with other government agencies providing support and assistance to victims of terrorism.
The President assured Danjuma and members of the Committee that his administration was taking proactive steps to defeat terrorism in the country.
He noted that despite the challenge of acquiring much needed strategic equipment and weapons to confront the terrorists, the Nigerian military has recently gained much ground in its effort to defeat and degrade Boko Haram.
According to him, the full deployment of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), under the auspices of member-states of Lake Chad Basin Commission, will further boost ongoing military operations against the insurgents.
It can be recalled that former President Goodluck Jonathan had set up a 26 man Presidential Victim Support Fund committee headed by Danjuma.
The committee had been set up to provide a framework through which all persons and institutions who wish to help mitigate the pains of victims of terror in the country .
The V SF committee was also to help to mobilise collective efforts and resources in support for the victims. “I appeal to all well-meaning Nigerians and non-Nigerians, individuals and cooperate bodies, to give generously to this Fund. The victims need our sympathy and empathy. We have to show that we care and can never give way or give in to agents of evil” Jonathan had said while inaugurating the committee.
The committee had gone ahead and organised a government fundraiser which held July 31 and raked in billions in promised donations from the federal and state governments, and the private sector.
Some of the largest donors at the fundraiser included Theophilus Danjuma, $10 million; Aliko Dangote, N1 billion; Jim Ovia, N1 billion; Tony Elumelu, N2.5 billion; Mike Adenuga, N1 billion; Wale Tinubu, N1 billion; Arthur Eze, $5 million; Mohammed Ndimi, $5 million; Kabiru Rabiu, N500 million; Dahiru Mangal N500 million; and Folorunsho Alakija, N500
million.
Others include a group of oil sector players, N17 billion; bankers N15 billion, telecom sector players N1 billion; state governors, N3.7 billion; and ministers, N50 million.
Elizabeth Archibong
