By
Sefinatu Ohunene Umaru
A philanthropist is a person who donates time, money, experience, skills or talent to help create a better world. Some philanthropists are known for giving away substantially to society and the candidate for the Kaduna South Senatorial seat, Honourable Sunday Marshall Katung (SMK) happens to be one. He has regularly donated his time, resources and talent for the benefit of the good people of Kaduna South Senatorial District.
His philanthropic activities span from education, providing succour to the indigent, empowerment and influencing employment opportunities in addition to providing legal services. Specifically, they include:
a. Eduction and Empowerment:- Setting up an informal scholarship scheme for youth seeking higher education. This scheme has over a hundred (100) beneficiaries across higher institutions in Nigeria in just its first year.
- Funding preparatory JAMB and SSCE candidates.
- Partnered SMEDAN to conduct skill acquisition training and empowerment schemes for artisans and micro small scale entrepreneurs.
- Providing business start up seed capital to over three hundred (300) female entrepreneurs. b. Health:
- Outreach programmes that offer free screening, check up, basic surgeries, drugs treatment and therapy
- Distribution of mosquito nets for mothers and their children to combat malaria
- Outreach has conducted over three thousand (3,000) free surgeries
c. Agriculture:
- Distribution of fertilisers by the truck loads
- Distribution of improved seedlings
d. Amenities:
As a former member Federal House Representative –
1.He was able to influence the installation and deployment of solar powered street light in Kwoi Town.
- moved a motion on the floor of the green chambers for the urgent rehabilitation of the Kwoi -Kurmin Jibrin Road, an important road artery in Southern Kaduna.
- Provision of transformers for rural electrification, solar, mechanical and manual (hand) powered boreholes. e. Employment:
- Ensured Southern Kaduna youth were not sidelined when the following agencies conduct recruitment:
i. Federal Fire Service
ii. Nigeria Immigration Service
iii. Nigeria Railway Corporation
iv. National Information Technology Development Agency
v. Nigerian Postal Service
vi. National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies
vii. DSS
viii. Animal Research Centre, Vom.
ix. Etc. - Reinstatement of sons and daughters wrongfully dismissed from employment in the private sector. He also ensured those retired received the gratuities and benefits due to them. f. Humanitarian Commitment:
Sunday Marshall Katung (SMK) has a special gift of compassion and is always at his best when it comes to touching the lives of the less-privileged. Over the years during his birthday, he always extends his hand of love to those in need as he celebrates with widows and orphanages.
He has also provided succour to victims of ethno-religious crises in Southern Kaduna with provision of meals, medical supplies and education for victims in IDP camps. Also, during the lockdown brought about by the COVID 19 pandemic in 2020, Honourable Sunday Marshall Katung (SMK) donated palliatives to indigent families and those whose means of livelihood were negatively impacted.
In terms of philanthropic activities, Honourable Sunday Marshall Katung stands at the head of this assembly and brought true light to life to the people of Southern Kaduna, thus touching their hearts.
He believes that philanthropic gestures alone cannot solve all societal problems and that only effective and people friendly legislation could. With the right legislation, the right atmosphere that will harness the economic potentials of Southern Kaduna and create employment opportunities can be done.
Let all sons, daughters, residents and lovers of a better Southern Kaduna come together and Get Involved by supporting him to represent Southern Kaduna Senatorial District come 2023.
Thank you.
