Abuja Lions Club president pledges to complete blind girls’ hostel

The newly inaugurated President of the Abuja Municipal Centennial Lions Club, District 404-A2, Geraldine Anthony Bocco, has pledged to complete and furnish a female hostel at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) School for the Blind Children in Jabi, Abuja.

The facility, currently under construction by the club, will be handed over to the school management during her tenure.

Speaking during her investiture as the club’s 9th president and the installation of the 2024/2025 Board of Directors in Abuja, Bocco highlighted the urgent need to complete the project, as the school has been unable to admit female students due to a lack of hostel accommodation.

She announced plans to raise N20 million to finalise the project by year-end to enable the school to enrol more female students.

Bocco expressed concern over the widespread hardship in Nigeria, citing a growing disparity between the rich and the poor. She called on the Federal Government to introduce policies to reduce poverty and address inequality.

“There are too many hungry children on the streets, too much hunger in the land, and people struggling to meet basic needs,” she said. “That’s why we chose the theme ‘Be Kind’ for this investiture. We need to show kindness, especially in these challenging times.”

Bocco also revealed that the Lions Club runs a food bank and organises monthly community outreaches to provide food for the underprivileged in Abuja communities.

Delivering a keynote address, the Deputy Secretary General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Rev Fr Michael Banjo, noted the pressing economic challenges facing Nigerians. He urged the government to prioritise food security and address citizens’ struggles.

Banjo lamented Nigeria’s contradiction as a nation with numerous places of worship but a high rate of corruption. “Where is the firm foundation in the midst of unprecedented hunger and hardship?” he queried.

He emphasised the need for the government to adopt equitable distribution systems and called on philanthropists to support initiatives that alleviate poverty.

A member of the Abuja Municipal Centennial Lions Club, Owulo Stanley Ochi, commended the club’s commitment to impactful projects, including visits to cancer-stricken children, feeding programmes, and empowerment initiatives.