In a joint message, the Federal Government and the House of Representatives have emphasized that the state cannot single-handedly resolve Nigeria’s escalating social and humanitarian difficulties. As economic pressures force more citizens into poverty, officials are calling for faith-based groups, private businesses, and civil society to take a more active role in providing support. This appeal was delivered during the launch of the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM) Nigeria’s N2 billion Endowment Fund in Abuja.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, represented by Hon. Festus Adefiranye, described faith-based organizations as vital to national development because they often reach vulnerable populations that government agencies struggle to assist. He praised the KSM for their new funding model, which aims to preserve core capital while using investment returns to fund long-term charitable projects like education, healthcare, and welfare for widows and orphans.
Similarly, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, echoed these sentiments through his aide, Simon Tyungu. He stated that national progress relies on robust partnerships between the government, private sector, and charitable groups. Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo also pledged local cooperation, urging other religious and traditional groups to adopt similar sustainable charity models to aid displaced persons and the underprivileged.
Sir Steve Adehi, the Supreme Knight of KSM, explained that the endowment was created because the organization’s traditional reliance on member dues has become unsustainable. By establishing a professionally managed fund, the group aims to secure permanent financing for its various social services. The KSM has committed to protecting the principal amount through constitutional amendments to ensure the fund remains a reliable source of humanitarian aid for future generations.
