Lagos, Nigeria;
24/08/2017: Following
the August 14 unprecedented disaster, Tony Elumelu, Founder of Tony Elumelu
Foundation and Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), yesterday, Wednesday
23 August, paid a state visit to the people and Government of Sierra Leone to
commiserate over the great loss caused by devastating mudslides and floods that
have claimed hundreds of innocent lives and left many more still missing.
Elumelu in the company of former
President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo and Sierra Leonean President Ernest
Koroma visited some of the survivors at the Connaught Hospital in Freetown upon
arrival in the country. Later on at the Sierra Leonean Statehouse, he
made a donation of USD$250,000 on behalf of the Tony Elumelu Foundation and
another USD$250,000 on behalf of staff, management and Directors of United Bank
for Africa (UBA) as emergency aid grants for victims of the mudslides.
Speaking in solidarity with
Sierra Leone, Elumelu charged the world and the African private sector to rally
around the ongoing rehabilitation and relief efforts. “For me, the little token
we are giving is what it is, little, but symbolic. At a time like this, the
world must come together to support the victims of this unfortunate disaster.
It is not a situation that one prays to be in, but in the event that it does
happen, we should all rally to support one another.”
Continuing, he urged the rest of
the world not to turn a blind eye to Sierra Leone’s plight: “We have on our
hands a humanitarian disaster of high proportions. It requires the attention of
the entire world. We have buried over 600 lives and many hundreds more are
still missing. We must turn the global spotlight on Africa. The world must
stand with Africa just as in the past, Africa has stood with the world.”
The UBA Chairman reassured
Sierra Leoneans of the Bank’s steadfast support. “United Bank for Africa (UBA)
will continue to play its role in helping small and medium scale enterprises,
and women, especially from the affected areas, to enable them rebuild their
economic lives.
The Sierra Leonean President,
moved by this act, commended Elumelu’s unwavering presence in the country’s
times of need, stating: “In you we have a brother and someone we can rely on.”
He praised the consistency of the Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF).
“You have always provided us with support. United Bank for Africa (UBA) was
here immediately after the war to provide us with banking services to support
our rebuilding efforts. Again, during our fight against Ebola, you were here
through the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF)
and provided us with great support. And now again, you have come to support
us.”
Elumelu’s donation will support
the victims, some of whom are in hospital needing food, clothing and medicine.
The much-needed assistance will also go towards the ongoing recovery efforts
and the construction of permanent settlements for the affected persons.
The Sierra Leonean mudlslides is
the third catastrophe to devastate the West African country in the past two
decades.
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