No fewer than 50 people benefited from the humanitarian gesture as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Lift Above Poverty (LAPO) Organisation, Dr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe, established and inaugurated Ehi Centre for Social and Economic Development.
The beneficiaries who were given bags of rice, other food items and clothes expressed appreciation to the founder of the centre, saying that the gesture would go along to alleviate their sufferings.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Benin, Dr. Ehigiamusoe, said that the Ehi Centre is a non-profit human development Organisation initiated by him to enhance the quality of life through enterprise development and support for the vulnerable members of the society.
He said that the Centre would be providing some food items to the 50 beneficiaries on a monthly basis, adding that plans are underway to increase the number of beneficiaries in the next batch.
He said: “We believe in the power of business and Pro-poor initiatives to enhance the quality of life in Africa. While vibrant enterprises engender inclusive growth and development through job creation, the vulnerable members of society should be supported and mainstreamed into the national economy.
“Therefore, the coming of the Ehi Centre is not only timely but also relevant to address the current national challenges. While the Government is addressing the economic challenges with a set of policies and reforms, the vulnerable members of the society require support to be able to meet their basic needs.
“Ehi Centre will be providing some food items to selected persons on a regular basis. Care will be taken by using eligibility criteria to ensure that food items are only given to those who truly need them.
“However, beneficiaries shall not be on the programme forever. Arrangements will be made to graduate beneficiaries out of the programme”.
According to the Founder, the Centre will also support owners of businesses to grow their respective enterprises in order to create job opportunities for the people.
“The Leadership of the Centre will draw on their experience to mentor entrepreneurs to start and manage sustainable enterprises”, Ehigiamusoe assured, adding that the first of the series of business seminars would kick off shortly after the inauguration ceremony.
“The government, with all its resources and goodwill, will certainly require the support of the citizens to bring a better life to our people”, he submitted.
In his goodwill message, the Oliha of Benin, Chief Edionwe Oliha, extolled the humanitarian qualities and contributions of Dr. Ehigiamusoe, and described Ehi Centre as a laudable and apt.
On his part, the founder of Project Charilove Centre, Chris Omusi, maintained that the founder of Ehi Centre is a guinue Nigerian that has continued to touch lives across the country, adding that “everything about him is humanitarian and philanthropy”.
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