FG urges firms to channel CSR towards rural poverty reduction

By Patrick Odey

The Federal Government has urged corporate organisations in Nigeria to direct their Corporate Social Responsibility policies towards reducing poverty in rural communities.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Duro, made the call during a multi-stakeholder engagement and community field visit to Eastern Obolo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Thursday.

The visit was facilitated by International Alert Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.

The communities visited included Ikot Edowik, Olokpon, and Emeroke 1 and 2 in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area to assess the extent of poverty, interventions by oil companies and possible ways to strengthen partnerships and advance sustainable poverty reduction. The visit was facilitated by Dr Bernard Udo.

Highlighting the essence of the visit, the minister emphasised that he was in the communities to see things for himself and ensure that interventions aligned with the real needs of the people.

He said, “This is my appeal: let this be the moment we cease treating corporate social responsibility as a line item, and begin treating it as a commitment and honoured to real families.

“Direct resources toward skills training for the youth I met today. Direct resources toward clean water that a mother does not need to walk miles to find. Direct resources toward classrooms where a child’s prospects are not diminished by a roof that leaks or is altogether absent.”

Duro explained that his ministry, through the One Humanitarian, One Poverty Response System, would continue to coordinate with the Akwa Ibom State Government and every willing partner to respond to the challenge of poverty alleviation.

He reminded oil company operators in the area that corporate social responsibility should have a direct impact on lifting people out of poverty.

Duro said poverty reduction in communities should not be left to the government alone, adding that companies should specifically invest in poverty reduction programmes in their host communities.

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