In keeping with its quest to contribute to the development of education in the country, the management of Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese plant in Ogun state would be announcing a fresh multi-million naira scholarship awards for secondary school and higher institution students from its host communities.
The scholarship award which is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which has become an annual activity will hold tomorrow in Ibese. CSR is business practices involving initiatives that benefit communities playing host to companies.
The company will make a scholarship donation of N3.43 million to 10 secondary school and 39 tertiary institution students.
Looking at the company’s scholarship mode showed that in 2013, a total sum of N1.4 million was given to 28 tertiary institution students. In 2014 and 2015, the sum of N3.43 million each was distributed to 10 secondary school and 39 tertiary institution students under the initiative.
Dangote Group has emerged Nigeria’s best Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Company in 2016, a survey by Governance Advancement Initiative for Nigeria (GAIN) has shown.
Dangote was the adjudged overall winner among 25 Nigerian and multinational companies operating in the country in 2016, scoring 6.3 per cent, followed by Nestle with 5.51 per cent and Etisalat with 5.45 per cent.
In that same spirit, Dangote Cement Plc, Gboko factory in Benue State has given out N20 million worth of scholarships to indigent students from the firm’s host community, Mbayion, as part of its CSR in the last one year.
Recently, the cement company announced the inauguration of some 19 different corporate social service projects for its host communities.
In what is regarded as a major boost to the CSR profile of the company, the projects covered various social sectors, including water, education, electricity, roads, IT etc.
It would be recalled that the company had some years ago instituted scholarships for the indigenes of any of the host communities in any higher institution and secondary schools. Over 90 of them have since benefitted from the scholarships scheme.
The management recently said that it was poised to making life more meaningful to all members of the over 16 communities bordering the cement plant, with a promise to ensure that all projects meet the specific need of each community.
The executive director, stakeholder management and corporate communication, Engr. Mansur Ahmed explained that the projects were agreed upon after a careful deliberation and discussion with the community Obas, Chiefs and youth leaders so that the project could be relevant to their needs.
Ahmed promised the community leaders that Dangote Cement would continue to be alive to its corporate social responsibilities and urged them to come forward to offer useful ideas and advises that could propel the company to do more for the development of the communities.
He highlighted some of the projects to included three domestic boreholes for Elere, Babalawo and Kajola Communities, 10 domestic boreholes for Afami, Ajibawo, Aga-Akinronbi, Aga-Owoyele, Aga-Ashade, Abule Oke, Abule Maria, Ijako-Orile, Wasimi-Imasayi and Balogun; four industrial boreholes for Ibese (2) and Imasayi (2); Construction of 10 classrooms for Ibese and Construction of another five classrooms for Balogun communities.
He listed others as the award of scholarship to 77 people between 2013 and 2014 sessions for secondary pupils, Polytechnic and University students who are native of the host communities. The Company is also providing Community Information Technology Training at Ibese, Aga-Olowo, and Ijako-Orile where two batches have already finished training while the construction of Ibese/Ilaro road, and that of Ibese/Itori road for all the Communities are on-going.
Mansur said these were aside the fact that the grading of Community Internal road network along Wasimi-Imasayi is under construction and the drain work Drain work at Olu of Ilaro/Paramount Ruler’s road, Ilaro, is nearing completion.
The Dangote Group boss also informed that the electrification and transformer replacement at Afami and Ibese has been awarded while the construction of 10 bathrooms and toilets with overhead tanks is ongoing for Balogun community.
He explained that the drilling of boreholes and the overhead tanks is completed while standby 7.5 KV generators to complement the infrastructure is awaiting installation.
He stated that one of the core values of Dangote Group as a whole is to improve the standard of living of the people through production of quality household products, provision of gainful employment and the development of areas from where it operates.
The executive director noted that it was therefore not by accident that Dangote Cement decided to lift the host communities and people by providing amenities needed to make life easy for them and that the educational scholarship is to compliment the CSR activities by focusing on education of the children in the host communities as leaders of tomorrow.
He then told the community members that for all the on-going projects, a monitoring team comprising of members of the communities and the management of Dangote cement would be constituted to ensure timely completion while those completed would be monitored to ensure they are judiciously put into good use.
Also, prominent monarch from Ibese area, His Royal Majesty, the Olu of Imasayi commended the cement company’s management for the gesture which he said has been running for some years since Dangote started production in Ibese land.
He stated that the communities’ leaders appreciated the fact that there have always been an improvement in the number of the benefitting community members urging the company not to rest on its oars.
The royal father particularly saluted the business acumen of the chairman of the Dangote group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote saying he is a man who loves the development of the people and the Nigerian society and that his many investments have been helping the people and the Nigerian society.
The Olu of Imasayi pointed out that so many Nigerians have the kind of money Dangote has but could not invest with it because their own interest is in their pocket noting that should Nigeria be blessed with five Dangotes, Nigeria would have joined the developed countries of the world.
In one of the company’s donation, the chief executive officer of the Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou, said the issue of education is an area the foundation is interested in.