Sylvester Idowu in Warri
The Chief Francis Omasteye Foundation yesterday doled out cash to 1,200 traders and small business owners as part of its support to boost local entrepreneurs.
The cash support ranges from N100,000 to N1, 500, 000 depending on the requirements of the beneficiaries after needs assessment by the management of the foundation.
The initiative aims to boost local entrepreneurship and provide financial assistance to those in need.
The Founder and Visioner of the foundation, Chief Francis Omatseye, said he had desired to give back to society from what God had blessed him with.
“Coming from a background filled with common vicissitudes of life and looking back to where I am coming from, one of my prayers to God was that God should empower me to help humanity.
“As years roll by, I am amazed at how God has answered those prayers by empowering me to reach out to those in my immediate community and humanity in general,” he said.
Chief Omatseye said he gave Glory to God after noticing a number of those who had benefited from his previous empowerment efforts and programmes had been able to gain different levels of financial freedom, stressing that many were now well established in their businesses.
He charged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the cash empowerment to grow their businesses so they would, in turn, be in a position to empower others in the future.
The Chairman of the occasion, Prince Mode Akoma, who was moved by the gesture of the Founder of the foundation, Chief Francis Omatseye, donated N20million in support of the foundation.
“I am overwhelmed. I never expected this. That you have started, we will not leave you alone,” he said.
Prince Mode praised Chief Omatseye for his exceptional gesture to give back to the less privileged members of society.
Also, the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Oma Eyewoma, who was the father of the day, donated N5 million in support of the foundation, praising its founder for his generosity by giving back to society.
He urged the beneficiaries to pray for Chief Omatseye to do well to enable him to continue to do what God directed him to do.
The Chairperson, Trustees of Chief Francis Omatseye Foundation, Mrs. Flora Alatan, said the beneficiaries were thoroughly screened to ensure they needed the cash support.
She disclosed that the beneficiaries cut across all ethnic groups across the country, adding: “We have the Ijaws, Itsekiris, Urhobos, Ilajes, Yorubas, and Hausas that got the cash support for their petty trading and small businesses.”
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