Tobias Sylvester
Germany has granted Nigeria a debt relief amounting to €22.4 million (N8.9bn) as part of its contribution to the country’s coronavirus fight.
Also, the German government announced additional donation of €5.5 million (2.2bn Naira) to assist Nigeria in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement on Tuesday, European economic powerhouse said the debt relief comes in addition to its support of the pandemic response globally. It reads:
“In 2020, the German treasury relieves Nigeria of debt repayments amounting to €22.4 million (N8.9bn).
“This comes in addition to Germany’s support to the COVID-19 response on a global level and the support provided by the European Union to partner countries in Africa worth €3.25 billion (N1.3 trillion).
“On April 27, Germany pledged €300 million (N120bn) to the global humanitarian response plan launched by the United Nations to fight COVID-19.”
Announcing the donation on its Twitter handle, @GERinNigeria, on Tuesday, Germany said it is providing €5.5 million this time to support vulnerable people in Nigeria’s North-Eastern states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe.
“Germany provides an additional €5.5 million (2.2bn Naira) to the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Nigeria to continue life-saving aid in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States in the context of the COVID-19 crisis.
“Ongoing activities include drilling of wells, construction of sanitation facilities, rehabilitation of buildings or construction of shelters for internally displaced persons and other victims of insecurity in the North East.
“This brings Germany’s contribution to the NHF to a tota of €29 million since it became operational in May 2017, making Germany a major donor to the NHF over the past three years.”
The country also pledged €12 million (N4.8bn) to West Africa Health Organisation and Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) for the purchase of vital medical supplies and laboratory equipment, training measures, amongst other response to the pandemic in the region.
It added that it was providing the Nigeria Police Force with €20,000 worth personal protective equipment including hand disinfectant, protective clothing, surface disinfectant, face masks, clinical thermometers and gloves, adding that the materials would be handed over in Abuja shortly.
According to Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 1532 confirmed cases of COVID-19 has been recorded in the country, 225 persons have been discharged while 44 deaths have been recorded.
