By Charles Okonji
In compliance with global best practice, the pan-African Conglomerate, Dangote Group has introduced cutting-edge technology and other measures to mitigate emission of Green House Gas (GHG), and its impacts, in all its subsidiaries.
According to the Group, this is part of its contribution to the campaign for reduction of GHG, as it embarks on enlightenment to sensitize workers and host communities on the impact of climate change and environmental sustainability.
On his part, the Company’s Group Chief Branding and Communication Officer, Mr. Anthony Chiejina in a statement said: “to mitigate gaseous emissions from our production process, our new plants are designed to be resource and energy efficient.”
He noted that the Dangote Group has invested much in modern equipment such as analyzers, opacimeters, and other continuous emissions monitoring systems used to measure greenhouse gas emissions in real time.
Mr. Chiejina emphasized out that the company’s climate goals extend beyond just reduction of emissions but also to protecting and regenerating the environment, through land reclamation and tree planting.
Only recently, the company organized a workshop for journalists in the North-Central and South-West geo-political zones in the country to sensitize them on the imperatives of reporting climate change and the environment.
Plant Director, DCP Obajana J.V Gungune told newsmen that the company has put in place state-of-the-art facilities to mitigate climate change concerns.
“We need the environment more than it needs us. Hence the need to sustain the environment,” he said.
Head, Suitability, Dangote Cement Plc, Dr. Igazeuma Okoroba told newsmen at Obajana that that the company has fully engrained environmental sustainability and Climate Change concerns in all its operations.
The statement quoted the Head of Sustainability, Dangote Cement Plc Obajana Plant, Dr. Eseosa Ighile, as saying that several innovative strategies have been introduced to cut emission of Green House Gas (GHG).
Dr. Ighile said in line with the company’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 12, alternative fuels (AF) were adopted to reduce dependency on fossil fuels.
She stated that: “The AF project aims to achieve a thermal substitution rate of 25 percent in all plants by 2025. We are working towards installing AF feeding systems in all our operation lines by 2024.”
According to her, “The resources utilized for fuels currently at the DCP Obajana include tyre chips, waste oils, and agricultural waste such as palm kernel shells and rice husks. We are also undergoing technical studies on the use of refuse-derived fuels (RDF) as a fuel source. Between January and July 2023, we’ve consumed over 34,800 metric tonnes of alternative fuel materials for our operations.”
She said so far, the company’s climate action activities include: monitoring of water, waste, and GHG emissions, creation of a decarbonisation working group, and following the guidelines of both local and international organizations.
Head, Technical Training, Dangote Academy Adedeji Adewale said the Dangote Cement Plc uses electrostatic prostetor to trap dust and recycle into the system, adding that the Dangote Academy plants thousands of trees every year.
He said only recently the Dangote Academy planted economic trees which include Mangoes, Soursup, Dates and orange trees among others.
Mr. Adewale explained that tree planting has the potency to protect the climate, regenerate the environment and improve the health condition of inhabitants.
