At Impact Award Ceremony, Rogers decries rising poverty in Nigeria

An award-winning humanitarian and actress, Ms. Jane Rogers, has decried the high rising level of poverty in the country, leaving a negative lasting impact on children.

Rogers stated this in Abuja during the 3rd Edition of Global Impact Awards with the theme: ‘Poverty Alleviation: Implementing policies that will galvanize Nigerian economic development.’

The event had notable personalities and celebrities both from Nigeria and different parts of the world such, Kenya, Ghana, Liberia, Uganda, South Africa in attendance.

Rogers noted that the award was designed to honor exceptional individuals and personalities that have made remarkable positive contributions on a global scale.

She said: “We go to rural areas, we go to poor communities, striving to reach communities. Honestly, with the economic situation, people are going through a lot. So, we want to use this opportunity to reach out to so many people out there, especially the government, to partner with us to see how humanitarian gesture spreads across Africa.

“I was motivated by the realization that so many people will just go to an orphanage. Aside going to the orphanage, there is someone close to you that is actually in need. Sometimes, when we go to orphanages, I see a lot of unused things.”

Adding: “And then, someone who does not even have a father may be lacking food that you are wasting as many people are focusing on orphanages. We should also reach out to people in our communities and people in our environment that need support, to see how we can help them. So, that is what we are saying. If you have unused clothes or foodstuffs, if you have anything that you don’t need, bless someone with them.

In his remarks, an international motivational speaker and author, Jimmy Asuni, said that he believed that in every disability lies an ability.

He said: “Today, I am here as a symbol of hope to show you all and to remind you all in our fight against poverty, not to forget to be inclusive in our policies. Let us all make adequate adjustment to include people like myself in the fight against poverty.

“Poverty is a big issue in Nigeria. As we know, over 70 per cent of the population is living on less than 1 dollar a day. This is unacceptable with the amount of resources we have in Nigeria.”

Also speaking, Dr. Josephine Abraham, who bags the Most Impactful Personality of the Year award, said: “Most of the poverty that we are talking about today is only in our brains. If you really think about it very well, you discover that it is possible for you to operate with what you have.

“When you look down on what you have in your pocket, or looking at what is in another person’s pocket and relying on that, it makes you feel very poor. It makes you feel like a victim.”

Some of the Global Impact Awardees are include High Chief Dr. Chetachi Ecton, who bagged Woman of the Year; Hon. Dr. Betta Edu- Global Philanthropist of the Year; Barr Uju Kennedy – Women Leadership Award; H.E. Amb. Dr. Jonathan Ojadah – Most Outstanding Global Leader of the Year; Barr. Emmanuel Ogede – Diaspora Philanthropist of the year and Real Warri Pikin – Most Influential Comedian of the Year.