The government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu commended MTN Nigeria for its donation of N1 billion to the federal government’s Food Support Programme and 4,600 digital devices for distribution to schools.
Vice President Kashim Shettima hailed the telco giant on behalf of the government while receiving its Mr. Ernest Ndukwe at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday, August 9, 204.
Shettima said: “I am hugely proud of your (MTN’s) stability as a company and commitment to the progress of our country.
“We have witnessed a couple of changes in the industry, but you have remained stable and strong. On behalf of my boss, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I want to sincerely thank you for this gesture.”
Shettima further said the donation by the company will be judiciously managed by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
On the distribution of 4,600 digital devices, each pre-installed with the U-lesson application, the Vice President said the MTN team will liaise with his office to work on the beneficiary criteria and facilitate the distribution of the devices to secondary schools in the six geo-political zones.
He expressed confidence that the gesture by the company would go a long way in supporting the government’s efforts to address the situation in the country, including support for the educational needs of the poor and vulnerable.
While calling on other companies in the country to emulate MTN in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility, the VP assured the business community that the Tinubu administration remains pro-business and its policies will, in a short time, begin to manifest for all to see.
Earlier in his remarks, the chairman of MTN Nigeria commended the federal government for its efforts to revive the economic fortunes of the country through various initiatives rolled out across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of government.
He pledged the company’s support to the present administration, noting that the gesture is in line with MTN Nigeria’s shared value objectives of “the AMBITION 2025 strategy” where MTN seeks to support strategic initiatives of the federal government.
On the N1 billion donation, Mr. Ndukwe said: “It aims to support the most vulnerable, marginalized, and underserved communities, ensuring no one is left behind through increased collaboration and partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
He expressed hope that the devices donated by the company will support the federal government’s objective to increase digital literacy in secondary schools and improve creativity, analytical thinking, adaptability, and students’ access to current information in science and technology.
The development comes amid the nationwide protest aimed to call for the government to end “bad governance” and address economic hardship in the country.
The protest was fueled by surging inflation, at a 28-year high, and government economic policies that pushed the naira to record lows against the dollar.
At least 17 persons were reportedly killed in Abuja, Kano, Niger, Borno, Kaduna and Jigawa, with several others injured on the opening day of the protest against the nation’s worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation and against the corruption and alleged bad governance that have stifled its development.