Tinubu urged to set up charity trust fund for ‘poorest of the poor’

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been urged to establish a National Charity Trust Fund (NCTF) to raise money from privileged Nigerians and philanthropists. The fund should be used to meet the essential needs of the poorest people, especially orphans. Making the call in Lagos, the Patriotic Nigerian Forum, (PNF) led by Eric Oluwole said Nigeria […]

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been urged to establish a National Charity Trust Fund (NCTF) to raise money from privileged Nigerians and philanthropists.

The fund should be used to meet the essential needs of the poorest people, especially orphans.

Making the call in Lagos, the Patriotic Nigerian Forum, (PNF) led by Eric Oluwole said Nigeria can raise no fewer than N5trillion through a charity fund raising to help the poor. The group said Nigeria has no fewer than 5000 Philanthropic individuals and organisations who can donate freely to help the social safety net of the Federal Government.

The group commended the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to deal with the very messy economic situation he inherited.

“We call on him to, as part of the ways to revamp the economy, bring all Philanthropic organisations and individuals in Nigerian together in a round table. Each year, Mr. President should appeal to them to make year contributions into a Charity Trust Fund, (CTF).
He said the fund should be used to address the plight of poor children across the country. From our research, there are about 2000 philanthropic individuals and organisations in Nigeria each of which is in a position to raise up to 20m every year to support the fund. This fund can hit N4trillion from this fund.
The group called on President Tinubu to establish the Office of Philanthropy Commission with a Special Adviser who will coordinate Nigerian philanthropists all over the world for effective fund raising for the prosperity, peace and stability of Nigeria.
The PNF President Mr Eric Oluwole also called on the President to honour an outstanding American based philanthropist who is a Professor of Medicine from Imo State, Prof Emeka Umerah. He is reputed to run one of the largest orphanages in Nigeria.
Oluwole said Nigerians are passing through very difficult moments. On the economic front, living and coping with the harsh realities have become extremely difficult. Many have lost their jobs. Some factories have closed down while some are planning to do so. There are historical explanations for the downtown.
He said apart from years of misrule, the economic situation in the country was compounded by the 2023 naira swap which led to the closure of 2million Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, (SMS).