The Nigerian Minister of Communications Technology, Adebayo Shittu, has appealed to corporate organizations and wealthy Nigerians to support humanitarian causes as a way of reducing the rate of poverty in the country.
Mr. Shittu, who made the plea at the premiere of the show, Touching Lives Season 4 by Airtel in Lagos, applauded Airtel’s commitment and consistency in reaching the downtrodden and empowering them. He urged other corporate organizations to follow in the footsteps of the telecom outfit in extending a helping hand to those in need.
The Minister expatiated, “I think that the companies doing business in Nigeria which have been benefiting from its enabling environment and the individuals and businessmen who have been benefiting must certainly come to the rescue and multiply what Airtel has been doing”. He stated that government needs the support of the private sector, NGOs, philanthropists and other well-meaning organizations to eradicate hunger and poverty in the land.
The Minister also called on the National Assembly to inspire and encourage businesses in Nigeria to embark on the initiatives of Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR.
As Mr. Shittu put it, “On the part of government, I think particularly, the National Assembly, which is saddled with making laws for us, should also feel challenged by what we have seen tonight by trying to initiate laws which would inspire or encourage CSR to be a major issue in the running of businesses in Nigeria”.
