By Chris Ndibe
Dangote Cement has committed N4 billion into various infrastructural projects as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for its 14 host communities in Yewa land, Ogun.
The company made this known in a statement signed by Mr Francis Awowole- Browne, Manager, Media and Community Relations, Dangote Industries Limited on Sunday.
According to the statement, the company also inaugurated the 2020 Acutherapy training for youths in the area.
Mr Azad Nawabuddin, Dangote Cement Company Plant Director, said the company was willing to spend much more because the company owed its continuous operations to the peaceful conduct of the communities.
Nawabuddin said the training was part of the company’s Host Community Youths Skills Acquisition and Empowerment Programme, to which the company was irrevocably committed.
He said the management of the company believed that education was power and this was responsible for the company’s consistent investment in the training of the youths to ensure self-reliance.
“Education is power, skill is power, and Dangote cement places a premium on education and skills acquisition that is why we are encouraging our people to be educated,” he said.
He explained that the acutherapy training would last for two months and urged the beneficiaries to make the most of the training and its offers as a means of livelihood to serve as an alternate means of income.
Also, Mr Joseph Alabi, Head, External Relations, Dangote Cement Plc revealed that in the past 8 years, the company had executed capital projects to the tune of N4.381 billion.
“Since the inception of Dangote Cement in Ibese, in the last eight years of creation in Ogun, we have focused on construction and repairs of roads, building of blocks of classrooms, construction and repairs of healthcare facilities.
“We have also provided boreholes, some electricity transformers, among others,” he said.
Alabi itemised the projects as ; 40 classrooms, 3 health centres, 22 boreholes, 3 transformers totaled N4. 1bn
According to him, various ongoing projects include 18 classrooms, 4 roads, 1 borehole, 1 health center, and 5 transformers estimated at N278m.
Alabi stated that 635 youths from the communities in various institutions across the country had benefitted from the company’s annual scholarship award while 20 youths had been sent to Dangote Academy, Obajana for various trainings.
He added that Dangote Industries ltd. had begun rice out grower programme in Ibese to improve youth employment, create wealth and support the government in its fight against food insecurity and deficits in balance of trade.
While assuring the company’s commitment to continually providing the necessary corporate social projects, he urged the people to continue to provide the enabling peaceful atmosphere so that both the company and the people could cohabit in tranquility.
In his remarks, Dr Oluwadare Kehinde, Ogun State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, commended the company for living up to its billing in the provision of social service to the people.
He said the state was particularly delighted about the Dangote Industries limited’s efforts to create shared value among all residents of the country, irrespective of tribe, religion and political affiliations.
“We need to commend Alh. Aliko Dangote for all these economic interventions.
“It is crystal clear that government can not do it alone, hence, we need partnership for good governance,” the commissioner said.
