Kwara State has been named alongside Edo, Ogun, and Sokoto as recipient states of the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa)’s N10bn health intervention programmes for 2021, a statement said on Tuesday.

Ubon Udoh, Managing Director of the ASR Africa, said in the statement that the intervention is a continuation of the initiative’s $100m Africa Fund for social development within Nigeria and the African continent, which has identified and commenced implementation of development needs in healthcare, education and social development within the country and beyond.

“In addition to this and based on our subnational healthcare needs assessment, ASR Africa has now decided to commit N2.5bn each to four states within Nigeria – Ogun, Kwara, Sokoto and Edo states,” the statement quoted Udoh as saying.

“This expanded grant will be dedicated towards healthcare interventions from maternal and child health to health infrastructure, capacity development, amongst others. We will develop mutual accountability frameworks with the state implementation teams after which fifty (50) percent of the grant will be disbursed immediately to commence implementation of the projects. The remaining 50% will be released in line with agreed delivery milestones.”

Established in 2021, the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative seeks to support sustainable development initiatives in the health, education, and social development within Nigeria and the rest of Africa, every year, the statement added.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq meanwhile has commended the ASR Africa Initiative for including Kwara in the intervention, saying it would help to consolidate the administration’s investments and achievements in the health sector.

“We sincerely thank Alhaji AbdulSamad Rabiu for this huge humanitarian gesture which is a continuation of his supports for the state over the years. The government, for the record, remains immensely grateful for the support it received from Alhaji Abdul Samad and the BUA Group in the teeth of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, and looks forward to enduring relationship with the conglomerate,” according to a statement issued in Ilorin, the state capital

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