by Ajadi Daniel
Aliko Dangote, who is also the Chairman of Dangote Foundation has given the Kano and Kaduna States Government until March 31 to produce an audit report of how the funds that was donated to them for polio immunization last year by his foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation were spent.
According to him, this was to ensure accountability and transparency in the management of the funds released under a tripartite agreement involving the states and the two foundations.
“All expenditure in the exercise must be verified by external auditors and the report tendered to partners in the tripartite agreement by the end of the next March 31,” Dangote said this on Tuesday evening during a video conference at Government House, Kano.
In attendance at the conference were the Kano state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, co-chair of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufa’i, officials of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and other development partners.
In his comments, Bill Gates lauded the Kano and Kaduna state governments on the war against polio, stressing that total eradication of the disease is possible if the states maintained their zeal.
While also stressing the need for accountability in managing donor funds released for immunization, Mr. Gates advised both states to ensure timely release of funds to the basket fund, to keep things moving.