For the fifth time in the past one year, the Solomon Edojah Foundation in Delta State has reached out to the needy and indigent in different parts of the state to put smile on their faces and empowered them to live sustainable lives.
The latest edition of the Foundation’s empowerment programme which took place in Eku in Ethiope East Local Government of Delta State saw about 200 persons going home with a bag of rice each and cash ranging from N10,000 to N20,000. This largesse coming at a critical moment of the country’s recession was not only a divine intervention to the lives of the needy and the poor in the society, it was indeed an assurance of a blissful celebration in the Yuletide.
It would be recalled that the Foundation in its previous four editions had touched the lives of more than 500 persons from across Delta Central, irrespective of party affiliations, providing them substantial amount of money in cash for them to improve on their small-scale businesses and for some others to learn different types of trades.
Speaking at the occasion, the organizer of the Solomon Edojah Foundation, Hon. Solomon Edojah, an APC chieftain, noted that he was moved by the love of God and humanity to use the little he has to care for the needy and the indigent in the society, adding that it is not as if he is so rich.  According to him, he has no political appointment at the moment, but he believes that if those who were voted into political positions and others who are political appointees at the local, state and national level could just look back and give little attention to the people at the grassroots on whose platform they got there, the issue of abject poverty would have been adequately addressed.
Edojah disclosed that the Delta State government was privileged to have gotten about N14. 5 billion from the federal government in the latest bailout fund, adding that it was strictly meant to settle the backlog of salary arrears of Local Government Councils, civil servants and pensioners. He wondered why governor, Senator Dr. Okowa only offered to pay Local Government workers two months salary arrears, stressing that the federal government expressly made provision to clear all the outstanding arrears of salaries of Local Government workers, civil servants and pensioners in the state.
Fielding questions from newsmen during the occasion, the deputy chairman of the APC in the state, Chief Cyril Ogodo frowned at the manner Governor Okowa distributed the bailout fund of N14.5 billion that accrued to the state recently, adding that it was shocking that the governor refused to clear the outstanding salary arrears of civil servants, Local Government workers and pensioners for which the money was released. Ogodo assured that unless the governor did a proper thing the opposition party may be forced to protest.
High point of the occasion was the presentation of bags of rice and envelopes containing the cash to the beneficiaries who were selected from different churches across Ethiope East, Ughelli North and Udu Local Government Areas of the state. Beneficiaries celebrated and prayed God to sustain the organizer, Hon. Edojah for the kind gesture.
Speaking with The New Diplomat shortly after the ceremony which took place at Eku Town Hall, a 70 year old beneficiary, Mrs. Betty Onoriode thanked God for Edojah for putting smile on her face during the Yuletide. She called on other sons and daughters of Urhobo to emulate Hon. Solomon Edojah to reduce the suffering of the people.
Present at the occasion were dignitaries including APC national BOT member, Chief Frank Kokori, the Delta State Deputy chairman of the APC, Chief Cyril Ogodo, amongst others.
