L-R: Nonny Ugboma, executive secretary, MTN Foundation; Michael Ikpoki, CEO, MTN Nigeria; Pascal Dozie, chairman, MTN Nigeria; Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, chairman, MTN Foundation, and Babatunde Raji Fashola, immediate past governor, Lagos State/keynote speaker, at the MTN Foundation 10th year anniversary CSR conference in Lagos
MTN Nigeria Foundation “MTNF” an arm of MTN Nigeria responsible for the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), on Tuesday received applauses eminent personalities, communities and families it impacted in the last ten year.
MTNF was established in 2005 for the purpose of focusing MTN Nigeria's efforts in terms of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives to help reduce poverty and foster sustainable development in Nigeria.
The Foundation which has spent over N13billion on 341 projects sited across the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT, received commendations, especially from Mr. Babatunde Fashola, the immediate past Governor of Lagos State and keynote speaker; Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, the pioneer executive vice chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC); Dr. Pascal Dozie, chairman, MTN Nigeria, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, chairman of MTNF; Mr. Michael Ikpoki, MD/CEO, MTN Nigeria, among others, at the ceremony held at Eko Hotel in Lagos.
In a keynote address titled, “The Role of CSR in Nigeria’s Sustainable Development”, said that while in office as Governor of Lagos has witnessed MTNF’s penchant interest and active involvement in tackling issues around health, education, security, environment and sports.
Brief Overview of MTNF’s Philosophy
These, according to Fashola, were summoned in one of Dr. Pascal Dozie’s rare interviews in a newspaper who said “…we agreed that we …will engage people who had a molecule of virtues, who understood the principles of good governance and what it takes to be responsible”.
The keynote speaker said, “These are underprinning philosophers of MTN as Telecommunications Company and Dr. Dozie provides clarity of vision and purpose behind the MTN foundation, which is the CSR platform of the MTN business”.
MTNF’s Contributions in Fashola Era
Fashola recalled “MTN foundation singlehandedly equipped a laboratory with vocational and technical equipment for the training of our young children in our technical college Ikorodu. I know that MTN foundation intervened in collaboration with us to provide two Haemodialysis machines in our general hospital in Igando, Alimosho, although we have since completed Gbadaga Cardiac and Kidney centre that now has 24 dialysis machines”.
The ex-Governor also lauded MTNFoundation’s input towards installing free emergency phones on the third-mainland bridge, “which was eventually unsuccessful because the phones were vandalized.
“On the basis of the evidence available to me, MTN Foundation must stand free of any suggestion that they seek to mask or distract the public from the ethical question that their (operational) activities create”, he said extolling the platform’s achievements in the past 10 years.
Separating CSR From Core Telecoms Business
On his part, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, former EVC of NCC and chairman, OpenMedia Group, said that MTN Nigeria’s ability to separate the CSR platform from the core telecoms business deserves commendations and shows its commitment to impact lives “for good” and participation in building the nation’s economy.
“For you to have a separate entity in charge of CSR initiative and participate in private-public partnership (PPP) projects simply show how interested the Company is in adding value to the society. MTN deserves commendations for that”, Ndukwe said.
He said that while some corporate bodies are yet to understanding the core meaning of CSR, MTNF has gone ahead to strategically engage on credible projects, especially the sustainable ones.
The Genesis of MTNF
Also, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, chairman of MTNF, reiterated that in September 2004, MTN Nigeria Communications Limited consulted with a diverse group of stakeholders across the country including Philips Consulting, to ascertain the needs of the Nigerian people.
The findings of the rich consultative process, he said, enabled the development of a more focused strategy under the three portfolio areas, Education, Health and Economic Empowerment.
“In conjunction with local and international partner organisations, MTN Nigeria Foundation remains committed to improving individual and communal lives through social investment projects that nurture people's inherent abilities, care for and respect people's dignity and help create economic value in their lives. The Foundation has been able to produce an overall positive impact on society, as evidenced in the numerous awards it has received over the years,” Adelusi-Adeluyi said.
The Chairman said he is delighted with the progress made by the Foundation since inception, and the significance of the numerous projects and activities which it has been involved in.
To Nonny Ugboma, executive secretary of MTNF, the journey has taken the team through several memorable roads, touching lives and building enduring friendships along the way, while they have made significant impact through 341 project sites located in all 36 states and the FCT gulping over N13billion.
“MTNF was established as answer to needs and close some gaps in the society. At launch, just few companies had their CSR rightly targeted at the rural dwellers in the country; so we set the pace”, he said.
According to her, the projects have been impactful and sustainable due to the support garnered from the MTNF board, private, public organisations and civic societies as well as the project partners and the MTNF team.
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