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Tag: indigent

  • 15m indigent households on Fed Govt’s CCT radar, says Edu

    15m indigent households on Fed Govt’s CCT radar, says Edu

    The Federal Government has announced plans to capture 15 million poor and vulnerable households in its social intervention programmes.

    The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, announced this yesterday in Abuja during a familiarisation session with reporters.

    She said the indigents would be accommodated through a programme domiciled in the ministry – the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT).

    She also hinted that the ministry would use the expanded social register to reach the poor.

    Edu promised to swing into action as soon as she gets approval from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the next Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

    The minister also said plans were ongoing to unveil the full agenda of the ministry.

    She said: “Eradicating poverty is one of the Eight-Point Agenda of the President. Yesterday (Wednesday), I was with the World Bank and we had very good deliberations.

    “By the grace of God, once we get approval from the President, we will be reaching out to 15 million households. It is an average of 5.7 persons per household.

    “We are presenting it at the next Federal Executive Council on Monday. Once we get approval, we will swing into action. The 15 million poor and vulnerable households will be reached through the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) and they will be sourced from the expanded social register. These are ways we intend to hit the ground running and eradicate poverty.”

    “President Bola Tinubu is not playing games. I wish I could tell people the President that I know and the President I worked with for the entirety of that campaign, even in his unguarded moment, even when he is joking, you can see through the passion to change this country.

    “He is a man that has achieved a lot at all levels. He is comfortable. He has a name. All he wants to leave behind is a legacy, he wants to leave behind a country that Nigerians can truly look back and say we have a country and dream that is achievable.”

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    Also, the Federal Government has said it will introduce the Social Protection Policy (SPP) at the federal and subnational levels of government.

    It said the move is meant to mitigate the impact of rising energy costs, resulting from the removal of fuel subsidies and the wide disparity in foreign exchange rates.

    To oversee the implementation of the SPP, a Community of Practice (CoP) was inaugurated in Abuja yesterday by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Nebolisa Anako.

    The SPC comprises four pillars: social assistance, social care, social insurance, and labor market interventions.

    Anako said various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) as well as states and non-state actors have been working to alleviate poverty through programmes related to these pillars.

    But there is a lack of coordination and collaboration between these programmes without formal platforms for interaction within the MDAs, the permanent secretary said.

    To address this, the ministry said it had established the CoP for social protection actors across the MDAs to implement the National Social Protection Policy (NSCP).

    The CoP will serve as a platform for discussing progress, sharing knowledge and skills, exchanging information, and tracking the implementation status of social protection within the MDAs.

    The CoP at the federal level includes key stakeholders from relevant MDAs, such as the ministries of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, women affairs, youth, education, labor and employment, environment and ecological management, water resources and sanitation, justice, agriculture and food security, and health and social welfare.

  • Sokoto donates N20m items to indigent women, children

    The Sokoto State Government has donated N20 million worth of food items and clothing materials to indigent women and children in the state.

    Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Hajiya Kulu Sifawa, said the items included 200 bags each of rice, sugar and millet, as well as 2,000 women wrappers.

    She added that additional N1 million was also disbursed to women receiving treatment at various hospitals across Sokoto metropolis and its environs.

    According to her: “The target groups included mainly vulnerable women and children focused groups, widows, orphans, women patients, women living with HIV/AIDS, diabetic women and other physically-challenged women, among others.

    “The gesture was aimed at alleviating the suffering of the beneficiaries during the ongoing Ramadan fast.

  • Relief for indigent patients in Imo

    Relief for indigent patients in Imo

    ‘I can’t thank God enough for what he has used the Deputy Governor to do for me and my baby,” she said. “We were like slaves here. They had discharged us and didn’t have beds anymore. We just slept on any available space on the floor. At a time I was afraid that my baby may be infected. Life was hell for me in the last five months. But today I am happy that my suffering has come to an end and I am going home’.

    ‘I can’t thank God enough for what he has used the Deputy Governor to do for me and my baby,” she said. “We were like slaves here. They had discharged us and didn’t have beds anymore. We just slept on any available space on the floor. At a time I was afraid that my baby may be infected. Life was hell for me in the last five months. But today I am happy that my suffering has come to an end and I am going home’

    For months they were not allowed to go home after they were treated at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owerri. Why? They could not pay their medical bills. The stranded patients, Derek Peter and parents, Francis Victoria, Chinonyerem Rejoice and newborn Eliezer Chibiko, and their parents had to contend with the unfriendly antics of the nurses, who treated them like inmates in a prison facility.

    While their parents ran from pillar to post to raise the money and free their loved ones, the children played away their time in the hospital ward, trying to get used to their new environment. Some visiting clerics encouraged them to be hopeful. A miracle could happen.

    And it has, just when they least expected it. Not only were their bills paid, they were given enough money for their upkeep.

    The haste with which they packed their belongings and hurried out of the hospital ward spoke volumes about their relief after a nine-month ordeal.

    The journey to freedom for the indigent patients started on a note of coincidence. That fateful evening, the Imo State Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, was informed by one of his aides that his little child was hospitalised after suffering burns when she accidentally threw boiling water on herself. Moved by the story, the Deputy Governor left for the hospital almost immediately to see for himself. On getting to the ward where the little girl was admitted, the sight of the disenchanted patients who were huddled at a corner of the room with their parents caught his attention. He beckoned on one of the women and asked why they were looking dejected.

    On learning that they had been held in the hospital for up to nine months for not offsetting their bills, Madumere who was accompanied by his wife, asked that all their bills running into hundreds of thousands of naira be calculated and he wrote out a cheque and that settled it.

    Recounting her ordeal, one of the patients, Mrs, Eunice Chibiko, who was in the hospital with her newborn baby after she had a Caesarean section, stated that she had committed her case to God after her husband and relatives abandoned her.

    “I can’t thank God enough for what he has used the Deputy Governor to do for me and my baby,” she said. “We were like slaves here. They had discharged us and didn’t have beds anymore. We just slept on any available space on the floor. At a time I was afraid that my baby may be infected. Life was hell for me in the last five months. But today I am happy that my suffering has come to an end and I am going home”.

    She continued that, ”not only that I am going home, but I have enough money that will help me take care of my baby until I am strong enough to resume my petty trading”.

    Also speaking, one of the nurses, who didn’t want her name mentioned, described the act as commendable.

    She said, ”We actually felt for the patients but there is little or nothing we could do to help them.  It was a management decision that patients who can’t pay their bills after they have been discharged should not be allowed to go until the bills are paid. We used to allow them to go before but they don’t come back to pay. So what the Deputy Governor has done today has relieved not just the patients but the hospital staff as well”.

    Madumere who took time to chat with the patients, advised them not to give up to despair but should remain positive about life.

    The Deputy Governor encouraged Nigerians to extend a hand of charity to those who do not have. He described the act of giving as the duty God has commissioned man to do, adding, “giving brings about fulfillment since riches mean nothing when the needy are not given hope”.

  • Foundation to empower indigent women

    Ivory Whetstones Mentor Foundation, a non profit, non governmental organisation has concluded arrangement to empower some indigent members of the society, including women.

    The programme tagged: ‘Restoring Everything Damaged (R.E.D)’ is scheduled to hold on 30th April, 2017 at the SEE Events Centre, Lekki, Lagos.

    Justifying the need for he programme, its founder, Dr. Lawretta Emiakpor Ogrih said: “We want to give out to those women in need but we want to do this through a special comedy shows that will showcase many stars. This is the first time we are using comedy because we believe that the tension in the country needs a light heart free of worries’ and a cheerful face full of laughter  to make live better.”

    Expatiating, the philanthropist said: “Both life and business skills will be encouraged in putting those women back on their feet again. Nothing is too small or big to make any impact. This is why we are selling tickets to those coming to watch the comedy. And we took our time to look for good acts whose jokes can encourage one to dip hands into the pocket in other to wipe out those tears. Our belief is that a soul helped will be glad to help another tomorrow; or appreciate the value in helping others.”

  • Afe Babalola Foundation to give N100,000 to 200 indigent Nigerians

    Afe Babalola Foundation to give N100,000 to 200 indigent Nigerians

    Are Afe Babalola Foundation, a charity established by Aare Afe Babalola, will give funds varying from N50,000 to N100,000 to 200 under-privileged Nigerians.

    A statement from the management of the Foundation stated that those who qualify to apply are indigent students, men and women,  who need financial assistance.

    To qualify, interested persons should obtain free application forms immediately by visiting www.abuad.edu.ng, download, fill the forms and send to abpoverty alleviation @abuad.edu.ng.

    In the alternative, they should visit AB Foundation Civic Centre, Iworoko Road, Ado-Ekiti, between 10am and 4pm daily to obtain the form.

    The completed form should be submitted to abpovertyalleviation@ abuad.edu.ng or to AB foundation Civic Centre, Ado-Ekiti.

    The statement added that all duly filled application forms must be submitted either online through ab poverty alleviation @abuad .edu.ng or to the AB foundation Civic Centre, Ado – Ekiti latest by noon on December 29.

    A committee set up by the Foundation will on December 30 select 1,000 qualified applicants after which the names of 1,000 successful applicants will be sent by SMS and also pasted on www. abuad.edu.ng or AB foundation Civic Centre, Ado – Ekiti on December 31/  January 1.

    On January 3, the qualified 1,000 applicants shall participate in a ballot by 10am of which 200 winners will emerge.

    The event will be chaired by the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Dr. Ado Ibrahim.

    Guests of honour are Governor Ayo Fayose, former Governor Segun Oni and former Minister of Education, Prof. Tunde Adeniran.

    The royal father of the day is the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe.

    The statement enjoined the public to contact Tunde on 08037877802, Olu on 08030527261, Bayo on 08034402771 and Taiwo on 08036209927 for more details.

  • Lagos community gets kits for indigent pupils

    Ponle Golden Lions Club, Ipaja, Lagos has a vision for the indigent pupils and out-of-school children in the seedy Ipaja area of Lagos.

    Lion (Prince) Adeyemi Aderemi, revealed this after his official presentation to the public as the President of the Ponle Golden Club penultimate Saturday by the District Governor, Waheed Kadiri, at the Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    The colourful event was chaired by Senator Gbenga Kaka.

    The four-year-old Club, Aderemi said, would take improvement of the condition of school pupils in Ipaja seriously, even as he said that in the next one year, efforts would be made to complement the efforts of the state and local governments to improve education standard.

  • Boost for physically challenged, indigent mothers

    Boost for physically challenged, indigent mothers

    ife of Abia State Governor Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu has called on Abians and public spirited individuals to come to the aid of the physically challenged.

    Speaking at the School of the Blind in Afara, Umuahia, Mrs. Ikpeazu, who inspected the reconstruction of some parts of the school, said the physically challenged people of the society need the help to feel the government’s impact.

    Mrs Ikpeazu praised the Abia State Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission [ASOPADEC] for partnering with her to give the physically-challenged a new lease of life.

    She also appreciated the principal and teachers of the school for making personal sacrifices towards the care of the special students and urged them not to relent in their efforts to ensure that the people left under their care are well taken care of.

    The Abia Governor’s wife encouraged the blind students to be steadfast in their studies and used the opportunity to shower them with gifts that included hundreds of school bags, school uniforms, Sandals, foodstuff and household provisions.

    Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ikechi Mgbeoji represented by the Director of Education, Mr. Mba Udensi, Commissioner for Women Affairs Lady Chinedu Brown, represented by her Permanent Secretary Dr. Nnenna Chikezie, and ASOPADEC Chairman  Chief Emeka Stanley praised Mrs Ikpeazu for her gesture.

    The Principal, Mrs. Oriala said the perimeter fencing, renovation of several buildings and construction of a walkway would make the school better.

    In a related development, Mrs Ikpeazu has paid the hospital bills of seven indigent nursing mothers detained at the Federal Medical Centre in Umuahia [FMC] after they gave birth. She also paid the bill of the only survivor of the fatal accident that involved Peace Mass Transit bus and a MAN diesel truck on the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway.

    The Abia Governor’s wife said that her visit to the Nkasiobi and Bartley wards of the FMC was in the spirit of Children’s Day, “It will enable the nursing mothers to unite with their children at home”.

    She thanked God for the safe delivery of the nursing mothers, “The women wrote to me asking for my intervention and what we are doing is in line with the present administration’s desire to alleviate the suffering of the poor and provide quality health care delivery”.

    Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Goodness Nwachukwu a mother of twins expressed gratitude to Mrs Ikpeazu for coming to their aide and prayed God to protect her and her family.

  • 25 indigent children get free cataract surgery, others

    25 indigent children get free cataract surgery, others

    A charitable organisation, Yeloto African Children Foundation (YACF), has paid for the corrective surgery of 25 indigent patients under the age of 12 at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja.

    People, according to YACF founder, Dr Oluyemi Olawaye, should be their brother’s keeper.

    Olawaye, who spoke during activities to mark the Children’s Day in the hospital, said people do not have to be millionaires before lending a hand.

    He said: “Saving one’s life is a big deal and people need to cultivate the culture of helping others, particularly those who cannot repay them. All hands should be on deck to deliver children from various forms of underdevelopment. Providing more funds for the scheme would alleviate the sufferings of the children.”

    The foundation, according to him, has performed 25 surgeries, 20 of which are cataracts while the remaining five were other ailments.

    “In all, we have assisted 50 patients to have corrective surgeries free. Last year, we sponsored a surgery for a baby without anus. This gives us joy knowing that we have been able to put smiles on people’s faces. The joy that we know that we are touching the lives of people is of paramount interest to this group,”he said.

    Olawaye, a clinical pharmacist, said the main goal of the foundation was to build a world class children’s hospital in Lagos in partnership with the state government.

    “We want a world standard children hospital where children could get treatment without travelling abroad. We want a hospital where everybody can come at the minimum expenses, even where Siamese twins can be operated without sending them abroad. We have provided for 25 cataract surgeries and five other surgeries this year. Also, we presented some cheques to the needy,” he said.

    A partner of the organisation, African Young Entrepreneur (AYE), said it was supporting the foundation financially.

    Its president, Mr Sunmisola Francis, said: “Basically to give the necessary support, we are the largest group of young entrepreneurs in Africa with the widest reach. We are going to be expanding it and it will not be a Nigerian platform anymore. We will push it to other African countries like Johannesburg in South Africa and Accra, Ghana.

    “We will also try and bring in other investors to the programme to expand it and provide more financial backups. It’s a huge load taking such responsibilities. We are putting up a platform for this NGO where people can donate easily to the needy via the internet,” he said

    He continued: “We don’t need the billionaires to do this charity. We only need some successful young entrepreneurs, who can support our cause. I think a lot of young people will like to give back. We do this independently it has not been easy soliciting for funding. We will push this cause with more vigour to get the required sponsors.”

    The group, as part of the children’s day anniversary, also donated cheques worth more than N500, 000 to the less-privileged at LASUTH, Ikeja.

    Parent of one of the beneficiaries, Mrs Idowu Oyebola, said the assistance was timely as she could not raise the fund for her daughter’s cataract surgery.

    “My daughter was born with the problem and I was referred to LASUTH for medical treatment. It was here that I was told that my child would need a surgery. But I was surprised when these young people came to my aid. They did not even ask for any money from me,” she said.

    Another beneficiary’s mum, Mrs Sarah Matthew, a widow, said she could not raise the needed money to correct her daughter’s partial loss of sight.

    The reason, she said, was because her husband died when her daughter was three years old.

    “As my daughter was growing up we discovered that she has developed cataract and that we would need about N60, 000 for the surgery. But I have no idea of where I would get the money from. I am very grateful to this group that came to my rescue,” she said.

  • Scholarship for indigent students

    Scholarship for indigent students

    The Ilaje Regional Development Council (IRDC) in the coastal area of Ondo State has given scholarship to more than 400 indigent students in secondary and tertiary schools. The gesture was aimed at providing quality education for its people within the Regional Development Council (RDC) in the oil-producing area.

    At Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area venue of the event, cheques were given to the indigent students of the mandate area of the RDC.

    Over 400 students in the secondary and higher institutions benefited from the gesture. While those in the higher institutions received N50, 000 each, secondary school students received N20, 000.

    Speaking at the occasion, Chairman of RDC, Prince Henry Ehinmola said the council initiated the scheme as an annual event different from that of the NNPC/CHEVRONN which scope of beneficiaries extended beyond the RDC mandate area.

    He said the scholarship scheme was strategically put in place to complement the efforts of the state government in order to improve the quality of education of the students in the oil-producing area.

    This is to also assist parents in educating their children.

    The chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area, who was represented by one of his supervisors, Jossy

    Ehimore said the programme was a laudable one as “every programme on education is a programme to improve the well-being of humanity”.

    He appreciated the management of RDC for the initiative and implored the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the gesture.

    All present at the ceremony praised the generosity of the RDC.

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was represented at the occasion by officials of the Ministry of Niger Delta, the Ugbo Traditional Council of Chiefs.

    Besides, all community heads and representatives of the GMoU areas were also in attendance.

    One of the beneficiaries, Emmanuel Omogbemi expressed his happiness and promised to utilise the money given to him sensibly.

    Omogbemi said after his education, he will definitely come back home to join in the development of the oil-rich Ilaje land.

  • NGO reaches out to the indigent in Ajegunle

    A non-governmental organisation, the Charity Ball, has donated foodstuff, clothes and other materials to indigent people in Ajegunle, Lagos.

    The organisation also gave out writing materials, toothpaste, toothbrush, hygiene packs and school sandals to women and children on Oyegunle Street.

    The convener, Olorunfunmi Adebanjo, said the gesture was borne out of her zeal to help the less privileged.

    “I had an idea about reaching out to the poor and I thought why not make Christmas/New Year happy for the less privileged? So I selected a street in Ajegunle called Oyegunle Street and we distributed as much food that can conveniently feed a family of four about four times. The event was mostly for women and children. I am especially grateful to my friends, Okechuku Ofili, author of How Stupidity Saved My Life; Eric Obuh, founder of Ghetto Love Project, and the President’s photographer, Bayo Omoboriowo for their immense support,” she said.

    The philanthropist said she got support from friends and on social media to raise funds for the project.

    She said: “I have been doing charity for a while now but this is the major step I have taken ever since I started and as from next year, I am thinking of having a proper structure and platform, where people can give out to less privileged. I believe that each person should start from little he can do, it is not compulsory to start big. It only gets big if you start from somewhere. I didn’t start big and I don’t think I am big yet. This was possible because there were others who were willing to help.”

    Omoboriowo said he supports the project because of the impact it can make to help the less privileged.

    “This is a very good initiative that if well supported would go big My advice to the people out there is that when you have, give the little you have out,” he said.

    A beneficiary, Mary Michael, said the programme indeed brought succour to the residents.

    “They have helped a lot of people today; because most of us have not eaten since last night. When I heard about the programme from my friends, I came immediately to this place just to make it in time to collect the food they were sharing. We will be able to eat for about four days. I pray that the person organising the programme will never lack in their endeavours,” she said.

    Folashade Saka, another benefactor said: “I feel good today because they have satisfied our needs. Most of us don’t even have the money to buy books or pen to take to school. We have the necessary equipment now because of the charity programme that was held here. I am so happy and thankful to the organiser.”