..as lawmakers laud InnerCity Mission’s free schools initiative for indigent children

By Evelyn Usman

The Federal Government has been urged to introduce tax rebates for individuals and organizations investing in education, healthcare, food security, and poverty eradication initiatives across the country. The call was made by one of the leaders at Christ Embassy, Pastor Titus Temisan, during the InnerCity Mission Global Roundtable Conference on “Developing Local Humanitarian Solutions to Global Challenges” held in Lagos, as part of activities marking the World Food Day and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Temisan, who represented Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, who is the founder of the  the faith-based empowerment initiative, stressed that while poverty might never be completely eradicated, its impact could be drastically reduced through collective compassion and legislative incentives.

 Education, according to him, remained the strongest weapon against poverty, next only to the gospel. He therefore asserted that, “If a person or organization builds a school, provides scholarships, or distributes food to thousands, such acts should attract tax rebates, just as it happens in Europe”,  urging governments at all levels to use their influence and platforms to inspire others to act.

Inspired by the Mission’s work of  providing free education, daily meals, uniforms, shoes, and books to indigent children, many of whom were rescued from the streets, three members of the National Assembly present at the event marvelled at the scale of investment in transforming young lives after taking a tour of the school’s facilities and food bank.

 One of them, Dumnamene Dekor, member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, described the initiative as “a rare example of compassion in action,” and announced the personal commitment of his six months’ salary to support the Mission’s work.

Visibly moved, Dekor, who is Chairman, House Committee on Host Communities, decried  the growing gap between government policy and actual implementation, noting that many well-conceived programmes failed to reach those who need them most.

He said  “Our challenge in Nigeria is not the absence of policy but the failure of implementation. This programme should stand as a model. If even 50 percent of what is budgeted for education were properly monitored and executed, our society would be far better.”

 He further revealed plans to partner with the Mission through the Host Communities Development Trusts, created under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), to replicate the model in local communities. “We have over 120 development trusts across host communities, and some already have up to ₦10 million in their base. We will work with them to redirect part of those funds toward education and humanitarian projects like this,” he said, adding that true leadership “goes beyond building roads or hospitals; it’s about touching lives, giving hope, and restoring dignity to those who have been forgotten.”

Also speaking, Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Basic Education, Muktar Shagaya, noted that with 19 free schools across Nigeria,where children received tuition, books, and daily nutritious meals at no cost,the Mission had proven that breaking the cycle of poverty begins with giving every child a fair chance to learn and dream. He commended its role in complementing national policies and reaching communities often left behind, noting that “a hungry child cannot learn effectively, and a family trapped in poverty cannot fully participate in nation-building.”

His colleague, the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Agricultural Production and Services, Godspower Nwogu, said the legislative process would continue to prioritise the needs of vulnerable citizens by engaging key stakeholders, including civil society organisations, local communities, and international development partners, to ensure inclusive and people-driven policy making.

 He further emphasised the importance of community-level engagement and collaboration with Ministries, Departments and Agencies , MDAs to access technical assistance and funding, reiterating support for President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at achieving national food security and eradicating poverty.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the Benue State University of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Ihugh, Professor Qrisstuberg Amua, lamented that despite being Nigeria’s food basket, Benue State still grappled with hunger due to poor access to food.

“We are not hungry because we don’t have GMOs; we are hungry because people are deprived of access to food,” he said. The professor also advocated for a more practical approach to agricultural education to attract young people to the sector, noting that, “In my university, we have restructured our programmes to make agriculture hands-on and profitable. Within six months, over a thousand young people applied to study agriculture. This is how we can build self-sustaining local food systems without importing foreign ideas or narratives.”

He promised to engage the Benue State Government on replicating schools like the InnerCity Mission in the state to meet the educational needs of children in IDP camps.

Earlier in her welcome remarks, Director of the InnerCity Mission for Children, Pastor Omoh Alabi, revealed that the faith-based humanitarian organisation was currently workng with over 60 institutional partners and 800,000 volunteers worldwide, reaching millions of children and families every year through its education and feeding initiatives.

Pastor Alabi explained that the InnerCity Mission, founded by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, “operates 19 fully free schools across three continents, offering not only education but also daily meals, healthcare, skill acquisition programmes, and school supplies to indigent children. The InnerCity Mission operates nineteen 100% free schools across three continents, providing quality education, healthcare, daily meals, and more for over 3,000 children to start and complete their primary education,” she said.

She further disclosed that the organisation “runs three major food banks located in Nigeria, the United States, and the United Kingdom, which have collectively served over one billion meals in the last six years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when global supply chains collapsed, the Mission rose to the challenge by feeding millions of vulnerable families. In 2020 alone, through the dedication of our partners and volunteers, we distributed over eighty-eight million meals, bringing dignity and hope to children and families trapped in hunger,” she stated.