The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has commended the recent well appointment of the immediate past Country Representative of Nigeria at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Mairo Mandara as a member of the Advisory Group of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) by the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres.
A statement by Executive Director of CISLAC Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani) said “While we applaud the Secretary General for the appointment well deserved, we are convinced that the appointment is an appreciation of Dr. Mandara’s wealth of experience and demonstration of the confidence Nigeria and international community repose in her and the remarkable legacy lived by her leadership as the Senior Country Adviser in Nigeria to the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Nigeria-based Health Systems Adviser for the Earth Institute at New York’s Columbia University, and Country Representative of Nigeria at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
He added: “We also consider the appointment as an endorsement of her competence and commitment to contribution to human and national development which was proven in her decades of priceless service in the private sector.
CISLAC recalled and commended Dr. Mandara’s profound interest and patriotic involvement hitherto in enhanced mutual interaction among the government, electorate and development partners on issues affecting the nation’s social sector investment and good governance.
The civil society organization expressed hope that her appointment will enhance transparency and accountability in the global humanitarian aid management, especially at this moment when humanitarian crisis has been amplified by massive corruption and reported diversion of aid across the globe.
Rafsanjani said “Dr. Mandara stands out as a great mentor to young women in Nigeria, as she provides hope to thousands through dedicated charitable educational and empowerment programmes for young girls and vulnerable women.
“We are hence, convinced that she will bring her experience, values and excellent qualities to bear in the new responsibilities,” he said.
