As part of its philanthropic gesture, the Dangote Foundation has delivered
food items to alleviate the suffering of the vulnerable and the indigent
in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The food items, worth millions of Naira, was last Thursday presented to
the Minister of FCT Malam Muhammad Musa Bello.
Receiving the items, the Minister said he was impressed by the gesture and
promised to ensure that the beneficiaries get the products.
The Acting Secretary of Social Development Bolanle Irene Elegbede who
represented the Minister commended the President of the Dangote Group
Aliko Dangote and the Dangote Foundation for supporting the poor people in
Abuja.
The items delivered in Abuja included: Dangote Sugar, Dangote Salt,
Dangote Spaghetti, rice, Danvita and wheat meal.
This donation followed the contribution by the Foundation of a staggering
N2billion to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno last month.
Speaking at the ceremony marking the distribution of the food items in
Abuja, Chairman of the Dangote Foundation Aliko Dangote who was
represented by Dr. Azeez Oseni, Director of Health and Nutrition, said the
Foundation was committed to alleviating poverty in Nigeria.
He said Dangote Foundation is “committed to alleviating poverty and
suffering of underprivileged by supporting social and economic change
through investments and interventions that improve the lives of the less
fortunate” This, according to him, will make a positive difference in the
growth of the nation.
The focus of Dangote Foundation, according to the Chairman, will be on
Health and Nutrition, Education, Economic Development and the provision of
relief materials during disaster. While the Foundation is determined to
reduce the number of lives lost to malnutrition and disease through access
to quality nutrition and healthcare with a particular emphasis on
children, it is also aggressively working towards the reduction of
out-of-school children, while supporting talented under-priviledged young
people to achieving their potentials as well as educating girls and women
on health related issues.
He said the Foundation’s cardinal objectives include: Health and
Nutrition, education, economic empowerment and disaster relief.
The food distribution to the vulnerable and indigent during and beyond the
season of Ramadan is one of Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s philanthropic
activities directed towards helping the poor in the society.
“I will like to specifically thank the Social Welfare Secretariat Team and
FCT Emergency management Agency for the Day-to-Day logistic support and
planning on food distribution to the beneficiaries,” he said.
Some of the beneficiaries include: Abuja Children Home, Peoples with
Disabilities Traders Union, Para Soccer Team FCT, Poorest of the Poor, Old
Peoples Home and Abuja Parasutes Association, among others.
It would be recalled that within a spate of five years, the total amount
donated to various camps of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), accross
the country by the Dangote Foundation has grown significantly to N6.
3billion.