CSR: Dangote Cement empowers 245 youths in host communities
By Charles Okonji
As part it’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Dangote Cement, Ibese Plant has again, empowered 245 youths in 16 host communities, haven been trained till date in different skills, as the company has taken it as a matter of policy to significantly impact the communities where it operates.
According to the Plant’s Director, Azad Nawabuddin who stated this, noted that this came just as the Ogun state government commended the organization for the economic value it has been adding to the people and government of the state.
Speaking in Ibese during the distribution of started packs for 30 trainees at the end of a three-month intensive tailoring and fashion designing training for youths from its host communities in partnership with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), the Ibese plant Director said the training was in furtherance of the company’s Community Youth Empowerment programme designed to improve the economy of the local communities by making the able youths self-employed.
Nawabuddin said, the successful completion of the training programme marked another milestone in the journey of community investment by Dangote Cement Plc with the cardinal objective of contributing towards long term improvement of the local communities by delivering and sustaining value to them.
“The thirty beneficiaries have joined the league of self-employed in our locality. These carefully selected male and female entrepreneurs have undergone intensive training in Tailoring and Fashion designing for three months, under the tutelage of the Industrial Training Fund and are receiving their certificates and startup packs, and by extension, their means of livelihood.
“This empowerment programme is another demonstration of the commitment of Dangote Cement Plc. Ibese Plant, to improving the social-economic condition of the neighbouring communities. We are committed to continuous implementation of impactful social investments that will eradicate poverty and improve the standard of living in our host communities.” He stressed.
Nawabuddin pointed out that the Dangote Cement, Ibese has carefully designed its youth empowerment scheme, knowing fully that Government and the private sector alone cannot meet fully the employment expectations of the youths, especially in a densely populated and youth dominated country like Nigeria.
“The most plausible alternative therefore, is for the youths to acquire adequate skills in various trades to become entrepreneurs and self-dependent. This programme is therefore timely and most auspicious as its intended impact cannot be overemphasized.”, he maintained.
The Dangote Cement boss recalled that so far 245 youths from the Ibese Plant’s host communities have been trained and empowered in different skills since the commencement of operations in Ibese with significant impact on the local economy.
He stated that Dangote Cement did not just stop at training only but also providing the trainees with tailoring materials, including machines and other materials needed for them to start off immediately and become their own boss.
While presenting certificates to some of the trainees, the Ogun state Commissioner for Community Development and Cooperatives, Hon. Hamzat Ganiyu lauded Dangote Cement for its numerous programmes, which have helped the state government’s policy on economic empowerment for the youths in the state.
He said the ball was now in the courts of the beneficiaries to turn the opportunities given them by Dangote Cement to be so trained and given machines to start off the business at once, saying the Company has done all that is necessary to give the trainees and their immediate families a means of livelihood.
Hon. Hamzat called on other business organizations in Ogun state to emulate Dangote Cement and help reduce youth unemployment and poverty at the local community level through worthwhile social investments.
The state government he promised would continue to provide conducive environment for businesses to thrive as the private sector plays key role in the economic emancipation of the people of the state.
In her speech, the head of ITF, Abeokuta Area Office, Mrs. Funmi Coker congratulated the beneficiaries of the programme, saying they are lucky to be part of it as they now have a visible means of livelihood for themselves and their relations
She commended Dangote Cement for being a worthwhile partner desirous of impacting positively on the people in its host communities and urged the youths to make use of the knowledge impacted unto them during the training, more so when they have
