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![Former President Olusegun Obasanjo. [Getty Images]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'100'%20height%3D'100'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "Former President Olusegun Obasanjo. [Getty Images]")
Shettima also thanked the telecommunications company for donating 4,600 units of digital devices for distribution to schools.
The Vice-President made the commendation on Friday when he received the Chairman of MTN Nigeria, Ernest Ndukwe, on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the gesture towards supporting the government’s efforts in addressing hardship in the country was worthy of emulation and indicative of its commitment to the development of the Nigerian economy.
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“I am hugely proud of your (MTN’s) stability as a company and commitment to the progress of our country.
“We have witnessed a couple of changes in the industry, but you have remained stable and strong.
” On behalf of my boss, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I want to sincerely thank you for this gesture.”
The Vice-President said the donation by the company would be judiciously managed by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
On the distribution of 4,600 digital devices, each pre-installed with the U-lesson application, Shettima said the MTN team should liaise with his office to work on the beneficiary criteria.
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He also explained that the MTN team and the Office of the Vice-President would facilitate the distribution of the devices to secondary schools in the six geo-political zones.
He expressed confidence that the gesture would go a long way in supporting the government’s efforts to boost the nation’s economy.
According to him, this includes support for the educational needs of the poor and vulnerable.
Shettima, therefore, called on other companies in the country to emulate MTN in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility.
He assured the business community that President Bola Tinubu’s administration remained pro-business and its policies, in a short time, would begin to manifest for all to see.
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Earlier, Ndukwe said the N1 billion donation aimed to support the most vulnerable, marginalised, and underserved communities.
This, according to him, will ensure that no one is left behind through increased collaboration and partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He expressed hope that the devices donated by the company would support the Federal Government’s objective to increase digital literacy in secondary schools.
He added that the devices would improve creativity, analytical thinking, adaptability, and students’ access to current information in science and technology.
He commended the Federal Government for its efforts to revive the economic fortunes of the country through various initiatives rolled out across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government.
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He pledged the company’s support to the present administration, noting that the gesture was in line with MTN Nigeria’s shared value objectives of 'the AMBITION 2025 strategy.’
In the strategy, MTN seeks to support strategic initiatives of the Federal Government.
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