Posted by From Juliana Taiwo in Abuja on
The World Bank last week presented used computers woth N4 million to 32 Non-Governmental Organsiations (NGOs), two universities and one secondary school.
The World Bank last week presented used computers woth N4 million to 32 Non-Governmental Organsiations (NGOs), two universities and one secondary school.
The items include 26 Desktop computers, 21 laptops/notebook computers, 37 C-Docks, 41 computer monitors, 38 external speakers and other accessories.
Among the beneficiaries were the University of Abuja, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Command Secondary School, Abuja and Catholic Archdiocese, Abuja.
At the presentation ceremony held at the Bank's Country Office, the Country Director in Nigeria, Mr. Hafez Ghanem said the Bank's mission was to reduce poverty in the world. He said the mission of the Bank tallies with that of the beneficiaries of the used computers and therefore wished that they would utilise the gifts to impact on the society.
The objective of the programme is to assist the institutions with programmes in the area of education, job training, opportunity for youth, maternal and child health, adult literacy/mentoring and other critical social community services.
Ghanem the World Bank would be distributing the computers every three years as against the former practice of auctioning them.
He said the criteria for choosing the beneficiaries include that they must be specially designated by World Bank or registered with Gifts in Kind International. The benefiting organisations are to use the system to operate their offices for training purposes, for charitable purposes and not for trade, sale, barter or auction and the organisations must be located in countries of special needs or a country where World Bank facility is located.
At the brief ceremony, Mr. Semshak Gompil of Alternative Trade Network of Nigeria (an NGO based in Jos) who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries thanked the World Bank for the gifts. "The World bank is truly a friend and is having direct impact on us".
He urged members of the public to learn more about the activities of the Bank as there was much to learn and gain from the bank's activities. He said he had participated several times in the banks competition on the development of market ideas.
Communications Officers, Obadiah Tohomdet explained that the public donation of the computers is the Bank's way of impacting on its immediate environment, a part of its social responsibility.