…Seeks partnership with Ministry of Commerce to empower vulnerable citizens
By Victor Nwegede
A non-governmental organization, the Luke Chibueze Adonwe Human Foundation (LACH Foundation), has unveiled plans to remove street beggars from the roads, rehabilitate them, and establish homes for orphans, the elderly, childless couple, and persons with disabilities in Ebonyi State.
The Founder and Director-General of the foundation, Barr. Luke Chibueze Adonwe, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Ebonyi State Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Abakaliki.
He sought strategic collaboration with the government to empower vulnerable groups through skills development, entrepreneurship, and cooperative support.
Adonwe revealed that the foundation is constructing a humanitarian settlement at Nwaomila Village in Mgbalukwu Community, Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The facility, he said, is designed to serve as a rehabilitation and empowerment hub for the homeless and less privileged.
“We are building a multi-purpose home for the childless, the elderly, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable citizens.
Our aim is to take beggars off the streets, equip them with relevant skills, and make them self-reliant. Everyone deserves dignity and a chance to live productively,” Adonwe said.
He further disclosed that the foundation has already rehabilitated and employed a formerly mentally challenged woman, Mrs. Mary Ezaka, who once lived around St. Margaret Umahi International Market in Abakaliki.
According to him, the woman has been successfully reintegrated into society through psychosocial support and economic empowerment by the foundation.
Adonwe noted that the foundation was recently recognized by the Association of Persons with Disabilities, Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone, which presented it with an Award of Excellence for its humanitarian service and commitment to inclusion.
He emphasized that a partnership with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry would help facilitate access to government grants, cooperative loans, and industrial mentorship for the state’s informal sector.
Adonwe also highlighted the foundation’s involvement in promoting responsible electricity consumption and advocating for consumer rights through cooperative engagement with electricity distributors.
“Our foundation believes in sincerity and transparency. We want to ensure that empowerment programs reach the people who truly need them.
"Together with the Ministry, we can create sustainable livelihoods, reduce youth unemployment, and strengthen Ebonyi’s economic base,” he added.
Responding, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Dr. (Mrs.) Mojibade Ekuma, who represented the Commissioner, Chief Oguzor Offia-Nwali, commended the foundation’s vision and assured the government’s willingness to partner with credible organizations in line with Governor Francis Nwifuru’s People’s Charter of Needs agenda.
The Commissioner emphasized the state government’s strong commitment to industrialization and SME development, noting that LACH Foundation’s programs align with the administration’s empowerment blueprint.
“You have raised strong points for collaboration. The Ministry will explore areas such as trade fairs, industrial mentorship, and cooperative financing to support your initiatives. We are particularly interested in showcasing how persons once deemed vulnerable can become productive contributors to society,” she said.
She encouraged the foundation to submit its registration documents and operational organogram for proper profiling, assuring that the Ministry would facilitate collaboration once due process is completed.
Offia-Nwali also disclosed that the Ministry is currently implementing the Informal Sector Digitalization Programme, which profiles artisans, traders, and micro-entrepreneurs for access to government loans and empowerment schemes.
“Once your members are captured in our digital database, they will be eligible for financial inclusion and business support.
"We want every Ebonyian, regardless of background, to be part of the state’s economic transformation,” he said.
In a separate interview, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Commerce and Industry, Hon. Lauretta Igwe-Nome, commended the foundation for its “genuine humanitarian spirit” and pledged the government’s readiness to partner with it in implementing industrialization and empowerment programs.
“We are impressed by what the LACH Foundation is doing to uplift humanity.
The government will continue to work with credible NGOs like this to address the needs of our people, especially the vulnerable,” Igwe-Nome said.
The visit, which attracted senior Ministry officials, directors, and members of the press, underscored the growing synergy between the state government and civil society organizations in promoting inclusive development.
Some officials expressed optimism that as Ebonyi intensifies its push for industrial growth and social empowerment, initiatives like those of the LACH Foundation will play a vital role in reducing street begging, restoring dignity to the underprivileged, and fostering a more self-reliant society.
