Dangote Gives N2bn In Support Of IDPs, Pledges Empowerment

Aliko Dangote

BILLIONAIRE businessman and frontline philanthropist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, on monday donated the sum of two billion naira for succor to the victims of the dreaded Islamic insurgency group, Boko Haram who have been subjected to the Internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in Borno State.

Dangote who is the President of Dangote Group who made the pledge while touring internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in Dalori and Bakassi in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, added that he was touched by the standard of living of the people and pledged to use his resources to fight malnutrition, hunger and starvation in the camps and other parts of the country.

Dangote stated that his visit and support to the camps will continue to towards empowering the people amidst the plights adding that he would explore avenues to drive investments and production in the state in order to promote entrepreneurship and create opportunities for the people to work and earn a decent living in the course of time.

“This is not the first time I am coming here and it will not be the last. So far, we have expended about N1.2 billion in efforts to alleviate the suffering of IDPs across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.

“The first major challenge is the physiological needs of these people, and food, nutrition rank right on top of that ladder. So we will first make serious effort to ensure that hunger is eliminated from the IDP camps and thereafter, we will begin to make effort to create jobs and boost entrepreneurship.

“The effort to create jobs and boost enterprise in this case will not be about making money or returning investment, rather it will be primarily to create opportunities for the people,” he said.

Speaking at the event, the governor of the state, Kashim Shettima, expressed gratitude of the government and people of the state especially the beneficiaries to the Dangote Group for its concern for the plight of the people of his state who had been subjected to monumental damage and sufferings.

“Words are not enough to say how grateful we are and we must thank Aliko Dangote. In this crisis, he has stood with us firmly. Initially he gave us N400,000,000 to alleviate the suffering of our people and it was given to 40,000 people in Borno.

“Our people are in dire straits and there is only so much that we can do with our limited resources. But you have done so much for us, you have given money, you have given food – spaghetti, rice, sugar and so on. Only Allah will compensate you,” Shettima said.

 The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, in his remarks, also expressed gratitude to the Dangote Group for the gesture and encouraged other well meaning Nigerians to tow the same line in order to help the state get back on its feet.