The Chairman, Elders Forum of Medical Doctors, Lagos State, Dr Ore Falomo, has said that it was important to empower the less privileged in the society, so as to make them self-sufficient and more productive.Falomo spoke at an empowerment programme for the less privileged, which was organised by the Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation in Lagos, to commemorate the 50th birthday of its founder, Dr Taiwo Afolabi.He said that the government had not been able to reduce the high rate of poverty, despite the huge annual budgetary allocations to poverty alleviation programmes in the country."We are hoping that by the time all NGOs take it upon themselves to provide for the less privileged in the society, the government will see that they need to do more to ensure that the level of poverty is reduced."I am also using this opportunity to appeal to other NGOs to tap into this initiative in order to help the needy and there is also the need to partner and work with them to make this good cause very achievable for a lot of the masses," he said.In a keynote address, the Deputy Managing Director, Sun Newspapers, Mr Femi Adeshina, decried the high level of poverty in the country.He said that according to the National Bureau of Statistics, 112 million Nigerians were poor with 38.7 per cent extremely poor and 30.3 percent moderately poor.According to him, the statistics indicated that only 31 per cent were non-poor, but not rich.He said that when a large number of people were abjectly poor, the society was in danger as abject poverty was usually characterised by lawlessness, crime and diseases.Adeshina said that the NGOs in the country had a huge role to play in helping the needy, as the government could not alleviate the magnitude of poverty alone.He urged the NGOs to "not only give fish to the poor but teach them how to fish" by training them and providing micro-credit to help them.Adeshina also encouraged more wealthy people to join NGOs in improving the lot of the people, instead of stashing money in foreign banks."When NGOs do the best they can, they are not only bringing succour to the poor but also helping to maintain the cohesion and equilibrium of the society," he said.The Coordinator of the Foundation, Mrs Omolola Oladosu, said it was set up primarily to cater for widows, orphans and anyone who fell into the category of the less privileged in the society.According to her, the activities of the NGO include assistance with vocational training and donation of materials to orphanages.Oladosu said that the 100 beneficiaries of the programme were categorised into four groups: critical support package, business support, start up project and, trainee project.It was reported that the beneficiaries were all given a total sum of N2.5million and other gifts including deep freezers.Oladosu appealed to well-meaning Nigerians and corporate organisations to support the cause and help reduce the level of poverty in the country.
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