Dangote Cement plc, Ibese, has said it has committed about N4.1billion into various infrastructural projects as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for its 14 host communities in Yewa land in Ogun state just as the Company flagged off the 2020 Acutherapy training for the youths in the area.
In the same vein, Ogun state government which spoke through the State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Dr. Oluwadare Kehinde, commended the Company for living up to its billing in the provision of social service to the people.
Speaking during the flag off of the training in Ibese, weekend, the Cement Company Plant Director, Mr. Azad Nawabuddin said the company is willing to spend much more because the company owes its continuous operation to the peaceful conduct of the community.
The Dangote Cement boss explained training is part of the company’s Host Community Youths Skills Acquisition and Empowerment Programme, for which the company is irrevocably committed.
He said the management of the Company believes that education is power and that was why the Company have been consistently invested in training of the youths so that they can be self-reliant
Mr. Nawabuddin said, “education is power, skill is power, Dangote cement places a premium on education and skills acquisition that is why we are encouraging our people to be educated.”
He explained that the acutherapy training will last for two months and urged the beneficiaries ti seize the moment and make the most of it as the training offers them a means of livelihood as it will serve as an alternate means of income.
Giving the profile of the CSR of Dangote Cement Ibese, the Head, External Relations, Mr. Joseph Alabi disclosed that since the inception of Dangote Cement in Ibese in the last eight years, the Company has executed capital projects to the tune of N4.381 billion in the last eight years of creation in Ogun state, focusing on construction and repairs of roads, building of blocks of classrooms, construction and repairs of healthcare facilities, provision of boreholes, provision of some electricity transformers, among others.
He itemized the projects as ; 40 classrooms, 3 health centres, 22 boreholes, 3 transformers totaled ₦4.1bn. According to him, various on-going projects include 18 classrooms, 4 roads, 1 borehole, 1 health center, and 5 transformers estimated at ₦278m.
Alabi stated that 635 youths from the communities in various institutions across the country have benefitted from the company’s annual scholarship award while 20 youths have sent to Dangote Academy in Obajana for training in various endeavour and some have been employed by the Ibese plant.
During the covid-19 lockdown, the Externa Relations Head said food palliatives were also extended to the communities with a total 398 bags of rice and other food stuffs.
He added that Dangote Industries Limited, the mother company had begun rice out grower programme in Ibese as part of agricultural empowerment for teeming jobless youths which will in returns, create wealth and help government fight food insecurity and deficits in balance of trade.
While assuring that the company would continue to provide the necessary corporate social projects to make life easier for the host communities, he urged the people to continue to provide the enabling peaceful atmosphere so that both the company and the people can cohabit in tranquility.
In his remark the Commissioner of Youths and Sports, Dr. Oluwadare Kehinde who came in company with some members of the Ogun State House of Assembly, commended the management of Dangote Cement, Ibese for putting together the training in order to empower the youths of the area
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, saying it’s no news that government can’t do everything alone.
“We need to commend Alhaji Aliko Dangote for all these economic interventions, it is crystal clear that government can’t do it alone, hence, we need partnership for good governance”, the Commissioner said.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers in Yewa communities, the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, described Dangote Cement Plc as a leading most responsible corporate organization in the entire Yewaland as the giant cement company is doing a lot to better the lives of not only the indigenes of Yewaland but also all the residents of the state.
The monarch, who was represented by Chief Ebenezer Babajide, Seriki Iluata, Ilaro-Yewa, assured Dangote Industries Limited of continued supports of all the traditional rulers and chiefs as well as residents, saying: “Dangote Cement has been so wonderful to us in Yewaland, the location of cement plant in Ibese has been a blessing for all of us in Ogun state and we are not going to disturb you and your operations, rather we shall continue to partner with you for good.”
Also, Oba Kayode Adio Kusoro, Olowo of Aga-Olowo, who spoke on behalf of traditional chiefs from the immediate host Communities noted that Dangote Cement Plc has been a wonderful investor since 2012 that it has been started here.
“The presence of Dangote Cement Plc on our land has brought a remarkable development to our communities under Ibese-Itori axis of the state and we can only ensure that Dangote Cement Plc waxes stronger and remains profitable to all of us – the investor and the host communities and the state at large.”