Dredging Firm Doles Out N5m to Orphanages for Yuletide

ABIOLA Seun

Nigeria’s Foremost dredging company, the Lagos Channel Management (LCM) despite the economic challenges in the country, has doled out N5 million to Orphanages and Correctional Homes, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), effectively putting happiness in the hearts of the often- unrecognized members of the society.

The beneficiaries who picked the cheques on Monday December 24th were the Adonai Orphanage Home and Widows Centre, the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, the Beibel Haven Fertility Foundation, Hama Health Initiative, and the Care People Foundation.

Others are the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate painstakingly care for the leper colony and their children.

The yearly event organised by the Lagos Channel Management began in 2008 had produced 50 beneficiaries, bringing the sum total to over N50 million.

Speaking at LCM Corporate Headquarters while presenting the gifts to year 2018 beneficiaries, the Human Resources Manager, Prince Ifalade Oyekan who stood in for the Managing Director, said the yearly visitation to orphanage homes and other facilities or centres caring for the under-privileged in the state were strategic measures aimed at reaching out to the community.

“LCM is a dredging company but over the years we have looked out for ways of reaching out to people around us. We have not only stopped at our yearly commitment of N1 million to each orphanage home; we also send people abroad for heart transplant and other vital treatments that cannot be actualized here in Nigeria.

“We currently have a multipurpose play court construction ongoing in King Ado High School that will house a basketball, volley ball, and table tennis court respectively.

“Also ongoing, is a six Rest room area in Ansar-Ud-Deen School in Ebute-Metta, alongside 200 chairs that will be shared amongst the two schools”, Ifalade stated, stressing that the LCM does not apply sentiments in its selection of beneficiaries, but only meticulously focuses on potential needs and the impact that such donations could have on both the recipients and the society in the short and long run.

“I know what we have given can’t solve all the problems in your various homes, but it is just our own little way of identifying with the children in your care.

“Over the years, we have taken it as a point of duty to give to the society and this has become the norm in LCM.

“I therefore commend each beneficiary for dedicating the time to take care of these children and I hope you will use the money judiciously, to better the lives of the children,” Prince Oyekan enjoined them, and urged other corporate organisations to emulate the LCM in caring for the less privileged in the society.

Each of the recipients assured that the donation would be judiciously put to use.

The Founder of Beibei Haven Fertility Foundation, Omotade Alalade specially thanked the Lagos Channel Management for the donation, stressing that the fund would enable them go the extra mile.

“We render services and support to low income individuals who seek medical help on fertility related issues and fibroid, and most often cannot afford to pay for such services. So, donations like this are a boost for the foundation,’’ she said.

Also, Ikechukwu Oloka, President of Hama Health Initiative commended LCM for supporting the body on its mission to encourage more Nigerians to donate blood.

“We appreciate LCM for what they are doing because their support will go a long way to finance some of our programmes in 2019.

Speaking on behalf of all the beneficiaries, the representatives of Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, said it was gladdening that organisations like the LCM would go out of the Maritime Industry to honestly seek out humanitarian bodies quietly caring for the low and the under privileged members of the society, so as to “stand the gap” for them.

“We may have been faced with challenging and difficult times, but by the grace of God and the support of corporate organisations like Lagos Channel Management, we see a brighter future for these children” Rev. Sr. Misericordia stated.

The Lagos Channel Management Limited (LCM) is a Public- Private Partnership enterprise formed in 2005 with its core operations centred on the management and dredging of the Lagos channel 6.