BREAKING: Buhari’s FCT minister, Bello tests negative for Covid-19

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BREAKING: Buhari’s FCT minister, Bello tests negative for Covid-19

Federal Capital Territory FCT minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has tested negative for the Coronavirus, Vanguard has learned.

The minister who had not travelled to any of the endemic countries in recent times had last week submitted his blood sample to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control NCDC after it emerged that he may have been exposed to people who had since tested positive for the virus.

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The result of the test, however, came out negative at the weekend.

Minister of state in the FCT, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu had also last week tested negative for the Coronavirus.

In her personal Twitter handle, the minister had said; “Dear compatriots, I am glad to inform you that my results came out this afternoon and tested negative to #COVID-19. Please stay safe and take every precautionary measure as outlined by @NCDC.gov. Together, we are stronger”.

Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA has received an N500 million donation from the United Bank for Africa UBA to fight the Covid-19 pandemic in Abuja.

Receiving the cheque of N500 million from the Vice-Chairman of UBA, Ambassador Joe Keshi, who led a delegation of the Bank on a solidarity visit to FCTA, the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello said the donation was the first hefty sum received by the FCT since the outbreak of the disease.

Malam Bello who commended UBA for such a generous donation said the money would serve as a major boost in the efforts by the Administration to nip the spread of the virus in the bud in the FCT. He assured that FCTA was working hand in hand with the NCDC to ensure that the organization gets the necessary working tools.

According to him, the Administration has begun grading of the road leading to the NCDC testing office in Gaduwa for ease of access, adding that the donation will go a long way in ensuring that the job is done as soon as possible.

The Minister who described the Chairman of UBA, Mr Tony Elumelu as a great philanthropist, said he was not surprised that the Financial Institution was the first to make such a donation to the FCT to help fight the pandemic.

Earlier, the Vice-Chairman, Ambassador Keshi said the donation was a part of the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and a show of support to FCTA in the face of the COVID 19 pandemic.

Keshi expressed concern over the likelihood of a spread in densely populated areas of the country and called on well-meaning Nigerians to join hands to fight the disease.

He said N200 million of the sum is being set aside for the National Centre for Disease Control NCDC, explaining that the donation was to strengthen the testing capacity of the Centre.

Vanguard