S’Leone Mudslides: UBA, Elumelu Foundation Donate $0.5m To Victims

Nigeria’s former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, UBA Group Chairman and Founder, The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Tony O. Elumelu and President of Sierra Leone, His Excellency President Ernest Koroma during their visit to survivors of the mudslides at the Connaught Hospital in Freetown and the donation of $0.5m by Elumelu on Wednesday.

Tony Elumelu, Chairman of United Bank for Africa, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria and Heirs Holdings, was on Wednesday in Free Town, capital of Sierra Leone to commiserate with the people and government following the devastating mudslides and floods that claimed hundreds of lives on August 14, following which many more are still missing.
Elumelu, Chairman of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, visited in 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, following which 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 as emergency aid grants for victims of the mudslides later on at the country’s Statehouse.
UBA Group has a full-fledged subsidiary in the former British colony.
The donation, according to a statement by the UBA Group and TEF “will support the victims, some of whom are in hospital needing food, clothing and medicine,” in addition to assisting in ongoing recovery efforts and the construction of permanent settlements for the displaced persons.
Elumelu who called for more global and African private sector contributions to the ongoing rehabilitation and relief efforts, said “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.”
He the world cannot afford to allow a disaster of such high magnitude go unnoticed, especially as over 600 persons have perished 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,” he added.
The UBA Chairman reassured Sierra Leoneans of UBA’s steadfast support, just as it is poised to continue playing “its role in helping small and medium scale enterprises, and women, especially from the affected areas, to enable them rebuild their economic lives.”
Responding, President Koroma commended Elumelu, saying: “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.”
The Sierra Leonean mudlslides is the third catastrophe to devastate the West African country in the past two decades.

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