By Omobayo Azeez
PwC Nigeria, the professional services firm, has instituted a N100 million intervention fund to support individuals, businesses and government in responding to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
In a statement issued by the firm, it explained that the COVID-19 intervention fund tagged “PwC Cares” is in line with the firm’s purpose of building trust in society and solving important problems and consists of a number of initiatives targeted at various sections of society including vulnerable households, health workers and small businesses.
The firm is also leveraging her depth of knowledge and resources especially around business and the economy to support governments both at the federal and state levels in their economic response to the challenges posed by the Corona Virus situation.
Providing details on the various aspects of the PwC Cares initiative, Uyi Akpata, country and regional senior partner for PwC in West Africa noted: “As well as having serious implications for people’s health and the healthcare services, COVID-19 is having a significant impact on businesses and the economy particularly for Nigeria at this time given our dwindling resources and high level of poverty.
“As a firm, we are supporting a number of initiatives aimed at addressing the health and economic challenges in Nigeria.”
He said that notably, PwC is supporting the CBN led Coalition Against COVID-19 by the setup of a Project Management Office and providing project monitoring and evaluation support valued at about 50 Million in the first instance.
According to him, the company is also providing food items to at least 5,500 vulnerable households, as well as personal protective equipment (PPEs) for frontline healthcare workers in the Lagos, Ogun, Imo, Edo, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Kano states and the FCT.
The firm noted that the donations of food items and medical materials which is valued at 50 million was made possible through voluntary donations from her Partners, staff and alumni community who have risen to the occasion in line with the firm’s value of Care and her agenda of having greater societal purpose.
This is in addition to pro bono complementary business continuity support services to small businesses employing between five to 50 employees who undertake to retain all their staff during this period, it stated.
