Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos State has commended the efforts of Airtel, telecommunications service provider in Nigeria to lift many Nigerians out of abject poverty through its Airtel Touching Lives corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, and has therefore promised to give the telco a rebate on right of way (RoW) charges.
Right of Way (RoW) as it applies to the telecommunications industry is generally used to denote the land on which telecom companies may lay their telecom infrastructures including connectivity cables. Although the Federal Government through the National Economic Council (NEC) stipulates N145.00 per linear metre of fibre, Lagos State charges about N500 per liner and was recently listed as one of the states planning to increase its charge.
Speaking at the premiere of Airtel Touching Lives season 5, in Lagos at the weekend, Sanwo-Olu said telecommunications is very important in the security and development of any society and so the state government will do all within its power to ensure ease of doing business for telecom service providers. He called on other business organisations and well meaning Nigerians to emulate the doings of Airtel in helping Nigeria and Nigerians.
“It is very heartwarming to know that organisations like Airtel can lend a helping hand, understanding fully that the government cannot do it all alone. I will give Airtel huge discount on right of way (RoW) because it deserves a discount as a form of encouragement to do a lot more in touching the lives of vulnerable and voiceless Nigerian citizens,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Segun Ogunsanya, CEO of Airtel Nigeria said that the company made a decision to continuously give to help provide help and relief to the vulnerable and disadvantaged in our various communities and make the world a better place.
The company has helped build a new house for the ‘Aina’ family who lost all they had including three of their four children in a fire outbreak, provide prosthetic hands to ‘David’, a war victim, paid for full cancer treatment for seven-year-old ‘Pillar’ who later lost her life and and eight-year-old girl who had a hole in her heart, was flown to India and treated successfully.
Additionally, Airtel has refurbished health centres in IDP camps in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria and built and rebuilt schools in Imo State, Kaduna State, Kwara State, Lagos State, Cross-river State and Ogun State where it also built an ICT centre.
Also speaking at the event, Isa Ali Pantami, minister of communication and digital economy commended Airtel for the laudable initiative, saying that even though CSR is not hard law in many nations including Nigeria, the company has decided to come up with such an impactful initiative.
“One of the beauties of having wealth is to spend and touch other people’s lives positively. This is the only investment that never fails because no philanthropist that truly helps people can get poor by giving,” Pantami said.
Airtel Touching Lives is aimed at promoting the culture of giving amongst Nigerians, seeks to uplift the downtrodden and offer useful support to less privileged people across the country. Since the commencement of the programme in 2015, Airtel has provided practical help for thousands of Nigerians as well as communities and groups.
Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson
