The management of Dangote Cement, Plc, Ibese, in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, on Wednesday presented a cheque of N16,215,000 scholarships to 120 indigent students as part of activities to mark its 2024 Community Day.
The company has equally reiterated its commitment to improving the lives of the residents of its host communities, describing them as key partners in achieving its target goals of championing economic prosperity for national development.
The Ibese Plant Manager of the cement factory, Mr. Roy Uttam, disclosed this during the 2024 Community Day held within the company premises to appreciate the support of the 16 host communities and present its scorecards on various intervention projects executed in the outgoing year.
Speaking during the event with the theme “Celebrating Resilience through Effective Partnership,” Ruttam said that the company embarked on 25 community projects spanning renovation of health centres, provision of solar-powered boreholes, electricity projects, youth and women empowerment, among others, in the outgoing year.
He explained that “As part of the company’s 2024 social investment projects, a symbolic presentation of a scholarship award to 120 outstanding and indigent students will be made today alongside the distribution of 55 chest freezers to support vulnerable women in starting or expanding their businesses.
“These efforts complement a range of initiatives, including a welfare program for fifty (50) elderly individuals, the provision of fertilisers, pesticides, and knapsack sprayers to 60 farmers, and other empowerment programs so far carried out in the course of the year.”.
Ruttam said that due to the high premium placed on youth empowerment, 30 youths who completed training in shoe and leather bag making were earlier in the year equipped with multimillion naira starter packs, while another set of 30 youths are currently undergoing training in POP, screeding, and painting.
The manager, however, lamented that the prevailing economic situation with galloping inflation proved to be a challenge as the company had to renegotiate all of the contracts to ensure that it delivered maximum value to the communities.
While admitting the company’s inability to fully deliver on all the 25 projects as envisaged, Ruttam assured their host of the commitment to complete the rest of the projects next year, as most of them are at advanced stages.
Ruttam called for more collaboration from the host communities, pledging to ensure that no effort is spared to keep embarking on various intervention projects that will boost the social and economic development of the communities.
In his short remark at the programme, the Commissioner for Industry, Trade, and Investment, Adebola Sofela, hailed Dangote Group for its remarkable commitment to uplifting the life of its host communities.
Sofela, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Olu Aikulola, said that the various intervention projects from the company have helped to complement the government’s efforts to make life easier for the rural dwellers.
Sofela urged the cement factory to, however, continue to ensure that the social projects are in tandem with the needs of their host communities.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers from the host communities, the Aboro of Iboro, Oba Daniel Salako, lauded Dangote Cement for its committed interest and investment in enhancing the development of the host communities.
Oba Salako, while urging the company to improve on its support for the communities, has equally urged members of the communities to keep cooperating with the company staff for more mutual benefits.
