Governor Ortom who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Mr. William Itodo, said the research would assist the state in finding solution to the ear and eye problems facing several communities. Ortom challenged telecommunication providers to widen their scope of coverage, emphasizing that Benue was in dire need of many channels of communication.
He said the state government would continue to encourage public/private partnership and assured that conducive atmosphere would be provided for genuine business men and women to expand their businesses.Earlier, the MTN Regional Manager in Enugu, Mr. Nnamdi Ozuanya, had said the organization has spent N18 billion on various projects across the country.
He commended Benue state for identifying with MTN, adding that the hosting of the event at the government house was a plus for them.The Economic Empowerment Manager of MTN Foundation, Mrs. Foyinsola Oyebola, in her address, said the organization’s assistance to those having hearing impairment started in 2005. She said 250 persons from Benue would benefit from the hearing aids distribution and disclosed that 700 blind persons in Nigerian universities have been given yearly scholarship of N200, 000. Mrs. Oyebola said six states including Benue would be benefitting from the distribution of hearing aids and explained that each hearing aid costs N250, 000.
