The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Foundation

  • I have laid the foundation for virile capital market, says Oteh

    Former director general, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Ms Arunma Oteh, said she had used her five-year tenure to lay the foundation for a virile capital market that will help to solve Nigeria’s pressing financing challenges.

    Oteh’s tenure ended last week’s Wednesday. She handed over to an acting director general, Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, on Monday.

    Presenting her scorecards, Oteh said she handed over a better SEC that has been positioned to drive inclusive economic growth and provide impetus for national infrastructural development.

    According to her, when she joined SEC in January 2010, she was absolutely certain about why the SEC was important and what it’s role and what the agenda was. This enabled her to articulate a new vision in one phrase of “building a world class market”.

    She said she was able to lay the foundation for a capital market that will help tackle national infrastructure challenges and which will help people who are setting up businesses, who own businesses raise millions of naira in capital.

    “To have a vision and have everyone being able to connect and align around it for me whether it is capital market operators, shareholders and other stakeholders for me was very rewarding. But I don’t think it would have been possible without each and every one of you accepting the challenge to try something in a different way or to do something in a way that you are not quite sure of,” Oteh said.

    She explained that the aim of her policies was to build a meritocracy so that it is the viable businesses that get funded, not necessarily the ones that have connections.

    She noted that Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges could only be tackled when people can feel that they are included, that they have economic access; that they can create wealth and that the income inequalities that people see around can be addressed.

    “And I believe that the capital market is the answer and what we have done in the last five years is to lay a foundation; there is still a lot of work to be done,” Oteh said.

    She therefore appealed to staff to continue to work hard and support the leadership to ensure that the brand that has been built is not eroded.

    Earlier in a statement endorsed by her, Oteh had outlined her achievements to include restoration of investors’ confidence, promotion of corporate governance and deepening the market.

    On investors’ confidence, she outlined that through strong enforcement actions and improvement of rules and regulations, and investor education, she was able to encourage investors’ participation. Creative initiatives include partnership with Nollywood to produce movies, an annual integrity award to promote integrity and capital market knowledge.  SEC established the National Investor Protection Fund and strengthened its Administrative Proceedings Committee

    On deepening and broadening of the market;  the market witnessed significant product innovation, improved listing rules, landmark bond market reforms (which brought it almost at par with the equities market and made it attractive enough for Triple A issuers such as African Development Bank (AfDB) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) to issue bonds), introduction of  Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), widening of participation in the markets through licensing and coming – on – stream of other capital trade points like National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and Financial Market Dealers Quotation (FMDQ) that have expanded market access.

    Also, in the area of restoring market integrity through zero tolerance for rule infractions, SEC’s enforcement machinery was significantly strengthened to respond to this new emphasis. In addition to other measures, an 18-man Nigeria Police Force team was deployed as a resident enforcement team at the SEC to respond to enforcement matters with speed and promptitude. This was unprecedented in the history of the apex regulator.

    In the area of strengthening of disclosures and transparency; SEC, under her leadership strengthened disclosure requirements and spearheaded the implementation of international financial reporting standards for listed companies.

    As far back as 2011, under Oteh’s leadership, the SEC published a new code of corporate governance for the Nigerian markets which was aimed at standards improvement in line with international best practice.  In addition to a significant improvement in corporate governance, the code is now mandatory.  SEC’s role in revamping corporate governance at Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) was globally recognized.

    Within the SEC, capacity building took unprecedented heights intended to strengthen the capital market as a whole by specifically enhancing personnel and technological capacities at the SEC Nigeria through training and retraining of human capital.

    Pursuant to the human capital enhancement goal, she streamlined the training function at the SEC to make it more relevant and responsive to the apex regulator’s capacity needs; she instituted the SEC Learning Series with the objective to foster a culture of learning and knowledge seeking at the SEC Nigeria especially in relation to critical issues that relate to capital markets, economic diplomacy, macro economy and the larger society.

    Beyond the capital market, under Oteh’s leadership, the SEC instituted an Annual SEC Journalists’ Academy, a skills improvement workshop aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in the markets through improved professional journalistic reportage.  A journalists’ only essay competition was also instituted to stimulate interest in reading and writing about the markets among Nigeria’s community of practicing journalists. Prize winnings at this competition are in the form of exposure to trainings in elite local and foreign learning centers. She created a forum for delivering capacity enhancement to shareholders in Nigerian companies called the “SEC Shareholders’ Academy” to enable the role of this important stakeholder public in fostering sound corporate governance in the Nigerian capital market.

    Under her leadership, the SEC also championed reforms at the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) which has witnessed much more robust output and delivery in its operator/oversight role.  The initiative to revamp listing rules led to landmark transactions such as the dual listing of SEPLAT Petroleum on the NSE and the London Stock Exchange in April 2014 as well as the development of an alternative securities market.

    Oteh provided thought leadership on the role of the capital market as an enabler of socio economic development, an efficient mechanism for capital allocation, and for fostering meritocracy in the economy and ultimately peace and prosperity in the society through efficient resource allocation.

    She led a market-wide effort which culminated in the launch of the 10 year capital market master plan in November 2014 which supplies a strategic architecture for repositioning the Nigerian capital market as one of the best and biggest globally within the envisaged timeframe, re-focus the market and help double its size over time and grow the economy

    The role and reputation of the Nigerian capital market in the International arena was significantly enhanced through SEC’s greater visibility and contribution in international regulatory fora like the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and its Africa and Middle East Regional Committee (AMERC).  In both organizations, Arunma Oteh played influential roles in their highest decision making echelons.  The spike in the SEC’s reputation and renown has made both the apex regulator as well as Ms. Oteh serial winners of awards and laurels bestowed by local and foreign organizations.

    The stock market also witnessed appreciable growth under her leadership. From a market capitalization of N4.99 trillion in January 2010, the market peaked at over N14 trillion in 2014. The Nigerian stock market rose by 35 per cent in 2012 and a further 47 per cent in 2013, and it was among the 10 best performing markets in the world that same year.

    However, by the end of 2014, the NSE capitalization had regressed to N11.5 trillion on account of the combined macro – economic forces including dwindling confidence in the Nigerian economy by anxiety around the imminent general elections; plummet in the price of crude oil in the international spot market and decline in the exchange rate of the Naira which attended the recent adverse fortunes of crude oil, the sole foreign exchange earner in Nigeria’s mono – cultural economy and cessation of Quantitative Easing in the all important United States economy to induce divestments of foreign portfolios from the Nigerian market.

     

  • Foundation kicks off festival for cultural revival

    Foundation kicks off festival for cultural revival

    The yearly Oodua festival held by the Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF) to foster  cultural rebirth kicked off yesterday in Lagos.

    Culture aficionados including the Head, Centre for School and Community Science and Technology Studies (SACOST), University of Education, Winneba, Ghana, Prof. Kolawole Raheem; the Owa Eredumi of Ife, High Chief Olaoluwa  Omiwenu and Osadio of Ife, Oba Olajide Farotimi, who represented the Ooni of Ife, gathered at a media interaction for the project.

    OFF Chief Promoter  Otunba Gani Adams said the festival was organised to “revive and develop our cultural heritage in the interest of the polity and our future.”

    “We will continue to strive and develop the festival to international acceptance and recognition. The role of tourism in any part of the world can never be over-estimated. It can conveniently serve as any country’s source of foreign revenue. Those who have travelled to Dubai and other places, including Kenya, can testify to the importance of tourism in national economic development. Tourism will not only help in building any nation’s economy but will also help in the transformation of the cultural development of such a nation.

    “It is our utmost desire to improve the standard of all our festivals in this New Year and we genuinely hope that our activities will contribute to the gross income of the country. The Oodua Festival is not just an important event to a particular section of the Yoruba race but a common heritage to all descendants of Oduduwa who are spread across all the continents of the world. It will at some point in time serve as the rallying point for all the festivals in any part of the world, where Yoruba language is spoken,” Adams said.

    The festival, he added, is expected to be a platform through which the Yoruba cultural heritage will be developed and a forum for Oodua descendants and tourists from all parts of the world to learn the history of Oduduwa. The heroes and legends of the race will also be celebrated through the festival, he said.

    Describing the oil price slump as a blessing for Nigeria, Adams regretted that the country had in the past lost billions of naira to its untapped tourism potential.

    While urging the federal and state governments to invest more in tourism development and create avenues through which cultural heritage can be sold to the world, he charged traditional rulers to be part of efforts to “projecting our cultural heritage to world tourism standard.”

    Adams canvassed for the studying of Yoruba and History as compulsory subjects from nursery to tertiary institutions.

  • Foundation honours teachers

    A charity ball to honour  teachers in Oshodi Local Government Area, Lagos would hold on Sunday.

    The event tagged: ‘Teachers Charity Ball 2014’, is being organised by the Hopegate Foundation to commemorate the World Teachers’ Day.

    The Founder, Mrs. Ojuolape Akinyemi, said the ball, which would feature awards, is meant to reward teachers.

    “The event is an excellent way to say ‘thank you’ to teachers who are making a difference in the lives of our children, encouraging them to do even more. Awards to be presented include those of outstanding teacher, longest serving, and best head of school (headmaster, headmistress and principal).

    “This year’s activity by Hopegate Foundation is a pilot in the Oshodi Local Government area, with a view to holding a state wide award and recognition event in the coming year,” she said.

    She argued that not enough effort was being made to appreciate the efforts of teachers “without whom we all cannot be whatever we are today”.

    She urged more corporate organisations and individuals to join  to improving the well-being of the teachers, especially those teaching in public schools, by partnering with government at various levels and NGOs, such as Hopegate Foundation.

    Mrs Akinyemi said the foundation seeks to enhance the socio-economic well-being of the Nigerian teacher through awards, training, and supply of equipment and teaching aids to improve the quality of their service delivery.

    Last month, the foundation held a charity golf tournament titled, ‘Honour the teachers kitty’, at the Ikeja Golf Club to create awareness about the charity ball.

    A total of 100 golfers participated in the tournament that culminated in the presentation of trophies and a dinner.

     

  • Foundation’s compassion for the poor

    Foundation’s compassion for the poor

    Christ Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), was established in 1993 by the late Professor and Mrs. Joel Adeyinka Adedeji, to help physically-challenged persons to realise their latent potential. Since its inception, it has brought hope to many who wouldn’t have been forward-looking through the collaboration of public-spirited Nigerians. In this report, OSEHEYE OKWUOFU examines the activities of the NGO.

    They are everywhere, and their story is the same. They are physically-challenged and often neglected. They are not restricted to a particular geo-political zone. From the East to the West and from the North to the South, you find them.

    In the circumstances therefore, it is not uncommon to find handicapped persons on the streets of Ibadan and other major cities soliciting for help. Like bees, they have invaded Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    For every visitor, the first sight on entry into the city is some men and women running after cars, asking for help to feed. Some of the disabled beggars go into this trade in an effort to make a living.

    Apart from brandishing plates, they also offer prayers for would-be helper to win their sympathy. Benevolent passersby would, in turn, drop money as almsgiving.

    Most often, most of them behave in a manner that depicts any assistance rendered to them is their right. The state and local governments have been making frenetic efforts towards ameliorating their problems by establishing rehabilitation centres where they could learn some trades for self-sustenance.

    Unfortunately, most of the physically-challenged persons seem to prefer life in the street and bowl-bearing to being self-reliant as some of them leave the skill acquisition centres for the streets to continue the act of begging.

    Not only helps from governments are available to them. Kind-hearted individuals also render helps to them. Through their kind gestures, some of the physically-challenged persons have received succour and have gotten off the streets for a while, even though some of them find their way back to the streets later.

    The trend became a source of worry to members of the Christ Foundation. But recently, the activities of some physically-challenged persons have attracted the attention of government at all levels. Some concerned individuals and organisations are not left out in the quest to better the lot of the downtrodden. They have shown commitment to give ray of hope to these hitherto hopeless and neglected young Nigerians.

    Some had reasoned that instead of giving cash gifts to the physically-challenged persons, who would go back to the streets to beg for alms, empowering them to be self-reliant would be a better option.

    In this instance, many of the physically-challenged persons had not only been encouraged to acquire some skills, they have also been trained in some professional trades so that they could be useful to themselves and the society.

    For instance, since inception, Christ Foundation has helped hundreds of disabled persons to leave the streets as beggars. Many had been rehabilitated and have better future.

    With enthusiasm and commitment of the trustees of the foundation to help the needy, the vision of the founders is still alive. It is still impacting positively on the lives of many less-privileged individuals in the society. In collaboration with well-meaning Nigerians, organisations and partners, there is a new vista in the lives of the physically-challenged as they undergo training programmes organised by Christ Foundation.

    In a chat with our correspondent on the activities of the organisation, the Chairperson, Board of Trustees of the foundation, Mrs Phoebe Ajayi-Obe (SAN) said: “We invite them to our centre to let them know that God loves them and that they can turn their disability to ability. We help them discover their latent potential and capability. Then, we train, establish and integrate them back into the society.”

    Continuing, Mrs Ajayi-Obe said “some of those we have rehabilitated are now graduates, businessmen and women, tailors, cobblers, computer scientists, and are doing well in their chosen enterprises. Some are gainfully employed in the private and public sectors.”

    The foundation, which is solely dedicated to the rehabilitation and integration of talented physically-challenged, has assisted in the construction of two mobile shops to enable the physically-challenged persons move their goods to wherever they find a market for their products.

    “We are hoping that people will place order for some of our products. This will not only help us move forward but will also enable people who are physically-challenged to live comfortable lives,” she said.

    Noting that it is not only the disabled ones that benefit from the training programme, she added that the foundation has embarked on teaching sessions not only for people who are physically-challenged but also for parents of physically-challenged persons who may experience some difficulties in taking care of them. They are taught how to make poff-poff, fish rolls, egg rolls and buns, among other items.

    Mrs Ajayi-Obe said: “This will be followed by arts and crafts. Our instructor is a member of our board, Mrs. Taiwo Oluwasanya. Some of those who attended our programmes have started their own small businesses based on what they have learnt.”

    The items produced by the physically-challenged persons are on display on some supermarkets and shops and are in high demand because of their durability and beauty.

    The Assistant Coordinator of the group, Mr. Oluwasegun Ayotunde Akinlosotu praised the foundation’s contributions to the lives of the physically-challenged persons, saying it has succeeded in transforming the lives of many in the society.

    He said the foundation, through its various activities, has helped millions of people to appreciate the physically-challenged persons in their midst and also appreciate that there is ability in disability.

    Akinlosotu, a father of two, is a member of a musical band known as Voices of Hope, an arm of the foundation where some of the physically-challenged have discovered their talents as musicians and entertainers.

    He said: “We have performed and thrilled many spectators in many cities such as Abuja. In most cases, some people broke down in tears while watching us perform. They could not believe that a visually-impaired man could operate the piano very well. It’s because we learnt it like every other person, but more importantly, a physically-challenged person is very much gifted.”

    He appealed to Nigerians to support the foundation in uplifting the less-privilege in the society so that the society will be a better place for all.

    “We count on you the public to encourage us by placing orders for our products. Patronise and help us in giving publicity to our quality products,” he said.

     

     

     

  • Foundation gives succour to the poor

    Foundation gives succour to the poor

    A faith-based humanitarian organisation, Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation (ZSF) has distributed cash and items worth N1.4 million to no fewer than 20 people.

    The gestures, according to ZSF Executive Director Imam Abdullahi Shuaib was meant to tackle the educational, medical, economic empowerment and accommodation challenges of the beneficiaries who have almost lost hope due to frustration and despair.

    Speaking at the 2nd mini-Zakat Distribution Ceremony for the year 1435AH (2014), Imam Shuaib said the mini distribution is one of the strategies adopted by the foundation to touch the lives of humanity positively.

    The Executive Director said: “Having sought for the intervention of the foundation, most of the beneficiaries did not believe that their requests would be granted because majority of them have gone to other places and have been disappointed.

    “Today, I wish to bring the good news and message of hope from the foundation to the beneficiaries gathered here who will benefit from the total sum of one million three hundred and seventy thousand naira (N1, 370, 000) meant for disbursement as zakat. As you may be aware, Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation is poised to helping the rich to enrich the poor, care and touch peoples’ life and bring lots of benefits to humanity in general without discrimination on ethno-religious ground.

    “We are deeply moved by the sordid state of life some Nigerians, especially those wallowing in abject poverty, the indigent students dropping out of schools, people living in urban slums or unhygienic places thereby compromising their rights to self-dignity and respects simply because they are incapacitated financially. It is against this deplorable situation that ZSF is motivated to intervene by providing succour to those suffering from socio-economic deprivations.

    “We are paled and saddened each time the poor and less-privileged cry out their hearts when they are unable to meet their basic needs due to financial constraints.”

    The foundation, he said, has become a beacon of hope and the voice for the voiceless.

    Imam Shuaib stated: “We are pleased to inform you that six (6) persons among the beneficiaries will be empowered economically to commence food vending/food stuff business; two (2) will be sponsored for medical surgery; namely, replant of femur and correction of chronic cough/nasal; three (3) people will be provided decent accommodation while an octogenarian woman will benefit from the welfare/feeding facility of the Foundation.

    “At Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, we are motivated by our faith and the concern for humanity and the well-being of Nigerians believing that ‘whoever alleviates (a suffering) from one, Allah will alleviate his lot in this world and the next…’”

    He appealed to Nigerians to join hands with the foundation to touch the lives of the poor and needy positively with zakat fund and also help the less-privileged to be self-reliant and attain economic freedom.

    The beneficiaries were full of appreciation to the foundation, prayed Allah to continue to uplifts it and bless those who paid Zakat to the foundation.

  • Foundation to hold quiz contest

    A non-government organisation Steno Memorial

    Foundation, will on  October 21 begin the first stage of its STENO Memorial Foundation Inter School Quiz Competition.

    The contest, which will be held among Senior Secondary Schools pupils in 86 schools across the six local councils of Ogun State, will test participants on the Use of English, Mathematics and General Knowledge.

    Its Executive Secretary, Taofik Lawal, said the desire to partner Ogun State government in its mission to rebuild the education sector inspired the competition.

    He said: “The competition will encourage and promote academic excellence among contestants and resuscitate the age long healthy rivalry occasioned by this out-of-school academic competitions.”

    Lawal, a lawyer,  said the first stage of the competition would be written test for participants, adding that each school is expected to present two representatives while the final stage will comprise six schools where three finalist will emerge.

    “All participants will get certificates while the schools that produced the finalists will be equipped. Finalists will also get cash gifts and scholarship,” he added.

  • Foundation, community partner on health

    Nigerians have been urged to seek medical attention immediately they are indisposed.

    President, Risi Foundations, Dr Owolabi Bada spoke when the foundation held a medical mission in partnership with Ifesowapo Progressive Group, Ebute Metta, Lagos, for the residents of mainland Local Government Area, Ebute Metta. The Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) is United States (US) based. The two- day event was held at African Bethlehem Cathedral Church Hall.

    He said it is good if one was routinely screened for diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol level, eyes and others. “These are basics that make one trap on time, debilitating diseases such as stroke, eye blindness and paralysis. We are happy that this non governmental organisation (NGO) is reaching out to your community, this way. And we will continue to collaborate with your group.

    “This NGO will continue to support the residents with screenings for various diseases, as a preventive measure. They will be given free medical treatments and drugs. The drugs we are distributing now are donated by the foundations’ partners across the United States, to tackle whatever ailments you may be suffering from.” said Bada.

    The Chairman, Ifesowapo Progressive Group, Mr Taiwo Akiwowo, expressed his joy over the collaboration, saying the group is a community effort to ensure all ‘mainlanders’ stay in good health.

    “This health mission is a success and membership of the Ifesowapo Progressive Group is increasing. The group is set to help the community in all facets of life. Membership is through living on the Mainland, or having lived here, but now in Diaspora.

    “The  vision of this community effort is ‘All for one, one for all’. We need financial assistance to realise more of our dreams. The local government can buy into this as well. The more the merrier for the betterment of all residents on the Mainland.

    “This is not the first time we will be holding a community effort of this type. We have the mission to eradicate poverty through empowerment of the community. Private organisations and other corporate bodies can also lend their support.”

    Over 300 people  benefitted from the communal effort  as free drugs, screenings and other items were given to beneficiaries.

  • Ambode ‘s foundation honours 11 young achievers in Lagos

    Ambode ‘s foundation honours 11 young achievers in Lagos

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, at the weekend, joined the La Roche Leadership Foundation to recognise and celebrate some exceptional youths in Lagos.

    The event, “The Chosen Youth”, held at the Astroturf 2000 in Ikoyi, recognised the efforts of 11 youths who have contributed to the development of their communities in the areas of youth & sports, tourism, social media, entertainment and fashion.

    In a statement, the aspirant said the selected young people had shown leadership qualities and innovation in their endeavours.

    He added that their innovations are the product of vibrant young minds who challenge the status quo and chart a course for themselves.

    Speaking at the event, Ambode, the founder of La Roche, said: “Today we recognise young people who have challenged the status quo and charted a course for themselves.

    “Today, we appreciate young men and women who have not let the circumstances in the country put them down but rather used it to motivate themselves.

    “La Roche salutes your courage. La Roche salutes your passion. La Roche salutes your success. La Roche extends a hand of partnership to you and together we can inspire others to leadership and innovation and improve lives in Nigeria.”

    Most of the chosen youths are social entrepreneurs, who are pursuing innovative solutions to social problems and making tremendous contributions to their communities.

    The selected youths were presented with plaques by La Roche foundation in recognition of their exceptional work.

  • Foundation lifts widows, orphans in Imo

    Foundation lifts widows, orphans in Imo

    A part from his professional job of crackdown on criminals and ensuring safety of lives and property of the people, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, AbdulMajid Ali has other traits unknown to many.

    That he has a soft spot of the poor  may not be known to the public except to close friends and relations.

    To help drive their philanthropic activities, the Imo State police boss and his wife, Hajia Idiat Ali, established the Majidat Ali (M.J.) Foundation in memory of their late daughter, Majidat who died at the age of 17 in 2005.

    In collaboration with the Imo State chapter of the Police Officers’ Wives’ Association (POWA), they provided succour for orphans, indigent widows and other vulnerable people.

    Scholarships were also awarded to orphans who had lost hope of continuing their education, while empowerment packages, ranging from sewing machines, power generating sets, grinding machines, bags of rice and money, were given to the beneficiaries.

    The Commissioner of Police said: “I feel pain when I see widows and orphans suffer. I often ask myself, what if it was my child who didn’t have parents and is in need of comfort.”

    He said his family decided to reduce the level of poverty among the families of former police officers in commemoration of her late daughter’s philanthropic gesture which she embarked upon until she died at the age of 17, adding that his family had kept faith with the promise of keeping the dream of their late daughter alive.

    “It’s something I have been doing for a very long time in all the states I have been to. This year’s edition took place in Imo because I’m here.

    “If my daughter were to be alive, she would have been very happy because this is the kind of thing she used to do before her death; helping the less privileged.  We will not forsake them but will continue to encourage them so that they may not lose hope in life.”

    Appreciating the agony which widows and orphans undergo as a result of the death of their breadwinners, Ali said the programme was meant to assure them that his family and the entire police community also share in their agony.

    He said: “We are telling our brothers, sisters, daughters and wives that we are still part of them. It is just for them to understand that we feel for them; so that they can have that sense of belonging. They are still part of us and we will never abandon them. I seize this opportunity to let them know that they should come to us; they should let us know what is happening because we must still care for them because we are still members of the same police family.

    “Whatever we do is a demonstration of our being part of them and sharing in their feelings.”

    He thanked the people of the state, especially politicians and businessmen, for their huge support to the foundation, even as he urged them to continue to lend a helping hand to the less-privileged in the society.

    Corroborating her husband’s position Idiat said: “What we have done is what my late daughter liked to do when she was alive. We are doing this to make her happy wherever she is and to make other less-privileged people happy.

    “It is our belief in POWA that our women can start a new life with the materials, and make their ends meet. The Federal Government should always remember the police, especially their families because that is the way it is done abroad.”

    Some of the beneficiaries praised the police boss and his family for giving them a new lease of life.

    Mrs. Caroline Iheme, who spoke on behalf of the over 50 widows, said: “When my husband died 14 years ago, things became so difficult for me and my children so much so that feeding became difficult. It is only the grace of God that has sustained us all these years. There was no money for me to start any business and nobody was available or willing to help me or give me any kind of job.

    “This made me have some reservations about God’s omnipotence as He allowed my husband to die in his early stage of life and left us suffering. That my cry was heard by God and he came through the state Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Ali and his wife, Hajia Idiat to lift me and my family from poverty. So, I’m thanking God for using them to rescue me.”

    Another beneficiary, an orphan, Chukwudi Amaechi, said: “With this scholarship, the Commissioner of Police has just given my life a meaning. This is because I had lost admissions on two occasions because there was nobody to assist in paying even my acceptance fee.

    “My parents died few years ago, leaving nobody to help me. But today, my dream of being a man is coming to fulfilment with this scholarship. I am eternally grateful to the CP and his wife.”

  • Foundation gives succour to the sick

    Foundation gives succour to the sick

    Irked by the inability of 17 indigent patients who received medical treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA), Ebonyi State, the Divine Care Global Community Initiative (DCGCI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has paid their hospital bills of over N483, 000.

    The patients, who had stayed in the hospitals for between two and six months after their cure and subsequent discharge due to lack of money to offset their medical bills, resigned to fate before the NGO came to their aid and brought succour to them.

    Many of the patients who came from various parts of the state as well as Cross River State were in the plastic surgery and orthopedic wards of the hospital.

    They were treated of various ailments and were given between N30, 000 and N100,000 bills. But due to lack of money, they were hanging around the hospital waiting for money to clear their bills before they could go home.

    The NGO, through the management of FETHA, cleared their hospital bills totaling over N.960 million as the hospital gave them 50 per cent rebate. The gesture enabled the NGO to go home.

    While handing over the cheque of over N483, 000 to the Chief Medical Director of FETHA Dr. Paul Ezeonu, the National Coordinator of the NGO, Deacon Dandi Odii praised the hospital management for slashing the hospital bills by 50 per cent.

    He said the programme started nine years ago when he went to pray for the sick at the hospital. Then he realised that some of the patients were discharged from the hospital but could not afford to pay for their hospital bills. Their situation touched him and he began to think of how to get them out of the hospital. That, he said, brought the idea of the NGO.

    Odii said he decided to do charity work to serve humanity through the NGO.

    “With the support of friends as well as the foundation’s major financer, Mr. Ken Ojiri of Ken Ojiri Foundation, the programme had been sustained since last year,” he said.

    The Coordinator also revealed that 25 indigent patients were discharged through the NGO last year, adding that they were released in Federal Teaching Hospitals Abakaliki and Federal Medical Centre Owerri. One of the patients was delivered of a triplet.

    The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Sunday Nwangele praised the vision and humanitarian service rendered to the indigent patients by the NGO, even as he urged other individuals and organisations to emulate the gesture.

    Represented by the Director of Public Health, Dr. Chris Archi, Dr Nwangele said it was good to give than to receive, adding that God loves a cheerful giver.

    He stressed that the NGO, over the years, has been giving succour to poor patients, praying God to reward their services.

    He said: “Charity work is not only for the politicians but for everybody in the society. This is because the measure you give is the measure you will be given or receive. The best thing we can do for ourselves is to help others while we are alive because we don’t know who will enjoy our wealth after death.”

    While receiving the cheque for the payment of the hospital bills for the indigent patients, Dr. Ezeonu praised the NGO for its gesture, saying that it had set a pace for others to follow.

    “I hope other NGOs and politicians would emulate the gesture by setting up centres which could give succour to the poor in the society and which would be named after them. This is the only way they can give back to the society what they received or benefited from it. I know the plight of some patients in the hospital. Some of them can not pay their bills no matter how  little due to poverty,” he said.

    Ezeonu further urged Christian associations to emulate what the NGO did by paying off bills of poor people in the hospitals. He noted that when he saw the need to help the poor in the hospital, he slashes their bills by 50 per cent.

    The patients expressed their gratitude to the NGO for paying their hospitals bills. They prayed God to grant those behind the NGO their heart desires.

    Seventy-year-old woman, Mrs. Grace Aloh from Ohaozara Local Government Area who had been in the hospital for three months after her discharge, described the intervention of the NGO as a saving grace because no help was coming from anywhere. She was full of joy and happiness, even as she sang praises to God in appreciation of what God has done for her through the NGO.

    Another patient, a10-year-old Joel Nwuzor from Izzi Local Government Area was abandoned in the hospital by his parents for six months.

    According to the management of the hospital, the boy was brought to the hospital by his mother who later abandoned him for about six months.

    Others such as Josephine Odey, Theresa Ogar and Philomena Njap all from Cross River State thanked the NGO for coming to their rescue.

    They came to the hospital because of one aliment or the other but being treated, there was no money to settle their bills. They, therefore, remained in the hospital for between two and five months before the intervention of the NGO.

    Also Moses Ude from Izzi Local Government Area was billed N38, 000, Monday Nweke from Ikwo was billed N70, 000, Uchechukwu Ofoke from Izzi was billed N45, 000, Steven Ogodo from Ikwo was billed N91, 000, Bernard Nworie was billed N99, 000 and John Unoke was billed N41, 000. Their medical bills were paid by the NGO.

    They prayed God to guide and protect the members of the NGO and as well reward them