By Cynthia Ezekwe

Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese plant, Ogun State, has launched a multi-million naira Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project and also unveiled various empowerment programmes for youths and women in its 17 host communities.

This was disclosed at an event hosted by Dangote Cement tagged; ‘2022 Host Community Day’, where the company rolled out  skill acquisitions, scholarships, farming technique training as well as empowerment of vulnerable women as an avenue to bolster  the company’s unrelenting efforts of impacting its host communities positively.

At the event, about 120 students from primary to tertiary institutions were awarded scholarship cheques, while 50 vulnerable women, including  widows were given grinding machines to support their household income. Also,60 farmers were presented to the audience as having been trained during the year on Good Agricultural Practices GAPs) for maize production  to boost agricultural production; while 30 youths are currently undergoing training on domestic electrification and installation, to promote skill acquisition and curb unemployment.

Speaking at the event, Azad Nawabuddin, director of Dangote Cement,Ibese Plant,   described the company’s project as a demonstration of its commitment to continuous improvement of the relationship between Ibese Plant and its 17 host communities.

Nawabuddin noted that Ibese Cement plant has been in existence for over 10 years and has created an impact that will remain evergreen to its host communities. He appreciated the primary stakeholders for granting the company the social licence to operate in a sustainable manner, while taking track of the company’s projects for its host communities within the year.

“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 stated.

Nawabuddin further disclosed that earlier in the year, the company was able to renew its social contract with the host communities by signing a five-year Community Development Agreement (CDA), following extensive engagements and concessions with a wide spectrum of the community stakeholders.

According to him, the new CDA provided an opportunity to review and improve the company’s social performance approach in line with the Group and Global Standards, and to introduce new programmes, while also enhancing the existing ones.

In addition, he disclosed that the company embarked on a total of 21 social investment projects across the 17 host communities, in line with the thematic focus of the company’s social investments to implement and promote education, health, infrastructure and empowerment in the host communities.

Nawaduddin further disclosed that the company has plans of introducing  the 60 farmers   being trained on GAPs to modern agriculture techniques and cutting edge technology in farming and also support them through provision of seedlings, herbicides and fertiliser for maize planting on a hectare of land each.

The traditional rulers of the host communities present at the event, in their remark, expressed their delight to Dangote Cement for its continuous  support and good works towards the development of the communities.