Government’s welfare package not reaching intended people, says group

A non-governmental group, Bruderhilfe, yesterday, lamented that despite billions government claimed to have invested into poverty alleviation, the gap between the poor and which has continued to enlarge, while the number of people who can’t afford a meal in a day continues to increase.

President of the group, Mary Oluwabamigbe Bruder, disclosed this while donating food items to some residents of Ilaje-Bariga, Lagos, at the Bariga Jetty.

She said although government is doing its bit, it’s not getting to the people. She asked government to channel funds for the poor through reliable NGOs to go to the people directly.

The German-based Nigerian, who was born and bred in Bariga, Lagos, said: “The government is dolling out money but it’s not getting to the right people, it ends up with rich people and their cronies, the gap between the rich and the poor is very wide. As I go to rural communities, I imagine where the monies go to, in fact, in the next 20 years, there are places that may not feel government presence because Nigerians are greedy.

“Well to do Nigerians must learn to take care of the poor. When we continue to leave some population behind in poverty, we will remain jokers. Until we address the gaps, and we cannot see an end to insurgency and crimes, we must go to the root of the problem, having more policemen will not solve the problem. “

She thanked God and the international community for coming to the aid of the poor, but said they can’t make it as effective as someone who has experienced poverty and knows the country.

On the charity work in Bariga, she said: “This is not our first caregiving day and community intervention in Bariga, so, we are donating clothes, food items, shoes, kinds of toothpaste and others to the elderly, widows, children and youths, and we will be coming back to donate to their health centres.

She said: “I have been doing charity work for the last 20 years. I love Nigeria, so, I am always looking out for Nigerians, I always give support to any Nigerian that comes to Germany and needs help. I promised God that if he blessed me in Germany that I will give back genuinely to people and He did it.”