Bukola Afeni
As Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme (ECEWS) marks 25 years of transforming lives, the Federal Government has lauded the organisation for its significant contributions to improving Nigeria’s healthcare system through interventions in HIV, Tuberculosis, Malaria, maternal and child health, and community-based healthcare services.
Speaking at the organisation’s 25th anniversary celebration, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, represented by Dr. Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, said the government identified ECEWS as a key institution in advancing human capital development in Nigeria.
He said the body has demonstrated 25 years of enduring impact, sustainability, efficiency and service delivery in both the health and education sectors.
“We don’t have too many institutions, whether in the health sector or education sector, that have endured this long in terms of the sustainability of results.
“We commend the efficiency of their approach and the kind of impact that they continue to deliver for the Nigerian people.”
According to him, the government was at the event to honour the organisation’s leadership and challenge it to continue building local institutions capable of delivering similar impact at scale.
He also commended the values of sustainability, integrity, efficiency and impact which, he said, align with the government’s health sector reform agenda.
In his remarks, Chief Executive Officer of ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, attributed the organisation’s 25-year success to integrity, patriotism, competence and a commitment to serving Nigerians.
“What has brought us thus far is a lot of integrity, keeping the money right, having a clear vision, loving the Nigerian people,” Eyo said.
He urged non-governmental organisations to remain patriotic, selfless and committed to national development, stressing that it was possible to build sustainable institutions despite economic and security challenges.
Eyo said ECEWS had earned the confidence of international partners, including the United States government, the Islamic Development Bank, UNICEF and the Global Fund, through accountability and continuous learning.
“One thing we have demonstrated is that it is possible to grow in Nigeria amidst all the difficulties, amidst all the challenges, amidst the insecurities and amidst the dwindling resources,” he said.
The Chairman of the Board of ECEWS, Prof. EnoAbasi Urua, said the organisation had spent the last 25 years transforming lives through interventions in education, healthcare and economic empowerment.
She said ECEWS began by providing scholarships and computers to students before expanding into healthcare, particularly HIV/AIDS intervention programmes.
“With the provision of anti-retroviral drugs, people’s lives became improved, people got back their lives, people lived because they had hope,” Urua said.
She added that the organisation had also intervened in Tuberculosis, malaria and other health programmes across 19 states of the federation.
Beyond healthcare, Urua said the organisation also empowered market women and other vulnerable groups through community-based interventions aimed at helping beneficiaries become financially independent.
She said beneficiaries were selected through consultations with community stakeholders to identify underserved persons in need of support.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, said he attended the event in recognition of the organisation’s contributions to education, healthcare and community development.
“As you can see, I am here personally just because of the good work that the body has been doing for the last twenty-five years,” he said.
Doro urged humanitarian organisations to prioritise accountability and ensure interventions reach intended beneficiaries.
“For those working in the humanitarian ecosystem, our work has to do with vulnerable people and so accountability is very key. We need to ensure that whatever we do gets to the last mile,” he said.
Doro also disclosed that the FG is collaborating with the organisation and encouraged development partners to engage it as an implementing partner.
