Nigeria’s 43 cabinet ministers have donated 50 percent of their March salaries towards the federal government’s efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic, the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, said on Saturday.

According to Mohammed, the donation was coordinated by the Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki.

In a statement issued by Mohammed’s office on Saturday in Abuja. Saraki was quoted as saying it (the donation) was a gesture of solidarity and support for the federal government’s efforts to tackle the disease.

”This global virus outbreak will require nations, continents and smaller communities to pull together to contribute their resources and support one another. This will facilitate an early resolution of the problem,” Saraki was quoted as saying.

The Ministers also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his leadership role in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

Nigeria now has 81 confirmed cases of the coronavirus after 11 new cases were confirmed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) late Friday.

Italy on Friday recorded the most daily deaths of any country since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and Spain had its deadliest day, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the first major world leader to test positive.