By Tajudeen Atitebi
Lagos, Dec. 20, 2022 – The Ibese Cement Plant of Dangote Industries launched its multi-million naira Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects for host communities at its Community Day last weekend.
The event, tagged “2022 Host Community Day”, was an opportunity for the company to unveil its development projects, skill acquisition programmes, scholarships, farming techniques training as well as women empowerment for its 17 host communities.
More than 120 students from primary to tertiary institutions received scholarship awards, while 50 vulnerable women and widows were given grinding machines.
During the year, the company had trained more than 60 farmers on new agriculture methods, particularly on maize planting.
Also, more than 30 youths from the communities, who are currently undergoing training on domestic electrification, were shown to the audience.
The plant also launched its maiden community newsletter at the event.
The newsletter is to inform community members about the company’s social development programmes going on in their communities.
Mr Azad Nawabuddin, the Plant Director, described the event as a demonstration of the company’s commitment to continuous improvement on the relationship between the Ibese plant and its host communities.
He said that the plant had recorded a milestone of over 10 years of existence within the community.
“I make bold to say that Dangote Cement Plant, Ibese, has been able to weather the challenges of year 2022 because of the collaboration and understanding enjoyed from our stakeholders.
“The socio-economic challenges bedeviling businesses across the globe and in Nigeria notwithstanding, I am delighted to state that we have stepped up our social performance as a plant in 2022 in pursuit of our vision to be a world class enterprise that is passionate about the standard of living of the people,” he said.
Nawabuddin said that the plant had embarked 21 social investment projects across the 17 host communities in line with the thematic focus of DCP’s Social Investments in education, health, infrastructure and empowerment and had so far recorded remarkable progress in their implementation.
“As at today, we have completed the 435m township roads at Aga Olowo, a block of classrooms at First African Church Mission School at Balogun, a block of five classrooms at United African Methodist Church School at Ibese, a block of five classrooms at United Anglican Primary School at Ibese, lecture theatre at School of Nursing at Ilaro, Solar powered borehole at Wasimi Imasayi, health centre at Iboro, and installation of LT Poles and Conductors at Kajola and Babalawo communities.
“The rest of the infrastructure and electrical projects are at advance stages and will be accomplished in due course. There will be symbolic commissioning and handing over of the completed projects at this event.
“Also, the number of beneficiaries of the annual scholarship award to brilliant and indigent students, which commenced in the 2012/2013 session, has massively increased from 28 students to 120 students with 103 in the tertiary institutions and 17 in secondary schools.
”It is our hope that this support would not only continue to complement the efforts of government in the education sector, but also serve as succor to the parents of the beneficiaries.
“You will all agree with me that pepper grinding is an essential service usually provided by women in all our communities.
“This is why today we are empowering 50 vulnerable women across your communities through provision of pepper grinding machines which will immediately spur them into entrepreneurship as business owners.
“Please join us in empowering and stabilizing our beneficiaries of today through your patronage,” he said.
Some of the traditional rulers at the event were full of praises for Dangote Cement, Ibese, as they joined the management in unveiling some of the projects.
The Aboro of Ibeseland, Oba Rotimi Oluwaseyi Mulero, thanked the management of Dangote Cement, Ibese Plant, for the unrelenting efforts at impacting their host communities positively describing the social performance profile of the company as very impressive.
He said that it behooved on the community leaders and all the residents to reciprocate the good gestures of the company by ensuring that peace reigned for the good of all so that the company could do more.
On his part, Oba Kayode Kusoro, the Olu of Aga Olowo, described the Community Day as a good one as it had afforded the people of bonding together with the Dangote Cement Ibese management and compare notes on the journey so far.
“The presence of Dangote Cement in the Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State has marked out the area as an industrial hub because by virtue of the presence, other ancillary businesses are now springing up,” he said. (GBN)
