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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Some bereaved family members of the Brothers Across Nigeria (BAN), were gifted millions of naira as welfare package, by the confraternity.
Global President of BAN, Azubuike Onowu, told journalists yesterday in Abuja, that the gesture was to provide succour for the next of kin of their members who have passed on.
According to him, over N20 million was contributed by members and the funds were distributed to three members, with the assurances that the body would continue to better welfare of their members.
Onowu said: “It is part of our welfare policy. This is what we give to out departed brothers. We lost a couple of brothers between September and now since I assumed office.
“So, we have about 11 departed brothers but I did it in batches. So, we are doing 3. I did one in Benin and same amount was handed over to the next if kin. We have two in Abuja.
“Normally, when we lose a member, the association tasks every dues-paying member. We have an amount that we pay. We give a timeline and at the end of the day we pay.
“Like this one we realized about N26 million. We divided it into 3. Each family gets over N8 million. Why is the fraction is that what is being paid for is what we are giving to them.
“Some people had said why didn’t we top it up to N9 million. But, we said no. The sole purpose of the contribution was welfare. We have 11 departed members.
“So, in our first meeting we had in Abuja, in March, I categorise that the first three that passed and tht is why she (Elizabeth) is among them.
“For those first three, we paid N2000 and we have 6,848 members that are on my census. But we had about 4,463 members that were compliant. We realised about N26 million.
“We have another meeting in August but tht will be in the United Kingdom. I will kick-start the second phase of the disbursement. I believe that by the time I handover, which is in September next year, I should have cleared it out.”
He added: “It is not only when people die. We celebrate the living. We have a commission which empowers our brothers.
“So, if you have any business you want to execute and you do not have enough money, you apply to the committee, you will be screened and if you scale through they will give you the money. It is interest- free.
“It spans for one year depending on the amount you requested. If it is less than one million it is for one year. Five million is beyond one year.”
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