Dangote Cement Plc Gboko Plant has awarded multi-million-naira scholarships to tertiary and secondary school students from its six host communities in Benue State.
The company also presented starter packs, working tools and certificates to graduates of its Youth Empowerment Programme to enable them establish their own businesses, apply the skills acquired during the training and become financially reliant.
Henry Dele Alake, minister of Solid Minerals Development, lauded Dangote Cement Plc for its community development interventions, calling on other private sector players to adopt similar initiatives to promote socio-economic development in their host communities.
Represented by Achi Gregory, the Federal Mines Officer of the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in Benue State, urged the company to sustain its commitment to implementing community development programmes agreed upon with its host communities.
Speaking at the official presentation ceremony, Wakeel Olayiwola, Group Head, Social Performance, Dangote Cement Plc, said the implementation of the Community Development Agreement underscores Dangote Cement’s commitment to equipping young people with practical skills and resources to promote entrepreneurship, create employment opportunities and improve livelihoods in its host communities.
Represented by Johnson Nor, the Head of Social Performance of the Dangote Cement, Gboko Plant, said the scholarship and youth empowerment programmes came against the backdrop of several other programmes recently executed by the company, which include farmers and women empowerment programmes.
Arbind Singh, the Acting Plant Director, Dangote Cement, Gboko, said: “This annual scholarship scheme for indigent students of the host communities is an indication of our company’s commitment to its Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR).”
Represented by Tabershima Soon, the company’s General Manager, Production, said: “The Gboko Plant has already launched 150 Women Empowerment Programme and 50 Farmerss Empowerment Programme where women were provided with cash to support their businesses, and farmers were supported with farm inputs.”
The beneficiary communities for these programmes are: Tse-Kucha, Quarry, Amua, Mbazembe, Mbatur, and Pass Brothers.
Speaking on behalf of the Benue State Attorney-General, the Chairman of the Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO), Dooshima Orosaga, commended Dangote Cement Plc for its compliance with the Community Development Agreement (CDA), urging the beneficiaries and host communities to maximise the benefits of the company’s interventions.
Yina Elias, chairman of the Gboko Local Government, said the government will continue to provide the support needed for the company to succeed, adding that the Dangote Cement Plc is an exemplary company in Corporate Social Responsibilities programmes.
In his remarks, Tsegba Igbarumun the District Head of Ukpekpe, commended Dangote Cement Plc’s Gboko Plant for its contributions to the community, assuring the company of the community’s continued support, adding that the community valued its mutually beneficial relationship with the company and would continue to serve as its ambassadors.
A beneficiary of the Youth Empowerment Programme, Ignatius Aondohemba, expressed appreciation to Dangote Cement Plc for the support, pledging to put the skills and resources provided to good use and build a business that would enable him to become an employer of labour.
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