By Peter Egwuatu

THERE is a need to raise funds from private initiatives such as ‘I Will Give’ (IWG) for government to finance costs associated with social needs of the people, a panel of experts said at a forum in Lagos.

The panelists who featured at the formal presentation of ‘I Will Give’ to the Nigerian public included the Minister for Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme ( NHIS) Mr. Femi Akingbade and Mrs Toyin Saraki observed that it was becoming increasingly difficult for government at all levels to fund their health and social needs.

‘I Will Give’ is a domestic financing platform developed by Chestrad International for special intervention in health, education, women and youth, and empowerment using crowd funding strategy.

Funding strategy

Professor Innocent Ujah, the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Professor Innocent Ujah, who represented the Minister of Health said available statistics show that the way to fund our social needs is through the private-public partnership.

On his own part, Dr Idris said providing healthcare for over 23 million in Lagos State is a huge task which a consistent increase in allocation to health sector has not been able to address. He said while it is good to seek assistance from abroad, charity must, however, begin at home with private initiatives such as ‘I Will Give’.

Mr. Femi Akingbade observed that the government cannot bear the cost of funding all social needs and there is a compelling need to take care of the vulnerable.

‘I Will Give’ as a social enterprise aligns its objectives with the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and especially the United Nations’ Secretary General’s updated strategy of ‘Every woman, every child’.

The forum was used to commence a new ‘Giving is Living’ campaign aimed at encouraging the spirit of giving in Nigeria.