Nigeria has the largest concentration of persons suffering from river blindness in the world, former United States of America’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Howard Franklin Jeter has said.
Speaking during the presention of books and other learning materials worth N1.2 billion donated to Katsina State by an NGO, Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, Jetter said Nigeria accounted for 40% of river blindness case world over.
Jeter who is also one of the directors of the foundation said enormous resources was being committed to addressing the menace of river blindness in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
He said the foundation was also intervening in the eradication of polio and other tropical diseases.
In an address, founder of the foundation, Mr Emeka Offor who pledged to look into ways of supporting health care delivery in Katsina State, said the books and learning materials were donated as part of ways to boost education and knowledge dissemination.
“We are here to support the Katsina state government, having seen their good works under the leadership of the executive Governor, Aminu Bello Masari”
“We will support him in numerous ways, begining with educational institutions, spanning primary, secondary and higher institutions” Offor added, assuring that the foundation would also assist Katsina in reducing unemployment and improve standard of living.
Responding shortly after her recieved the books and other learning materials, Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari lauded efforts of the foundation and stressed that the state could not thank it enough.
Masari however charged the state commissioner of education to ensure there is an inventory for the books noting that a special team would be saddled with the responsibility to monitor the materials.
Our correspondent reports that the foundation which recently signed an MOU with Katsina State government is an NGO with focus on health, youth and women empowerment, education and eradication of tropical disease.
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