Olu Samuel, Lokoja

No fewer than seventeen boreholes have been constructed by the Dangote Cement Plc within the communities hosting the Dangote Cement Plc, Obajana Plant, Kogi State.

The distribution as allowed by terrain is Obajana six (6), Oyo six (6), Iwaa two (2) and Apata three (3).

Speaking at the Dangote Cement Plc-sponsored two-day workshop organized for journalists in the North Central of Nigeria, the General Manager, Community Affairs/Special Duties, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi, said the water projects were implemented to address the water needs of the communities as the influx of people continues to increase on a daily basis under the bigger picture of her Corporate Social Responsibility.

Mr. Adeyemi told the newsmen that the company has a robust relationship with its host communities, adding that only recently, the clinic at Iwaa community built by the Company under the Community Development Agreement with Mining communities of Oyo and Iwaa, as stipulated by the Nigerian Mining Act, was supplied with additional medical equipment.

Penultimate week, at the instance of Oyo community, the Company laid the foundation for the construction of a block of 3 classrooms with offices, staff common rooms and toilets to facilitate the take-off of a UBE secondary school in the community, thereby saving the children from the stress of accessing secondary education at neighbouring communities.

During the foundation laying ceremony, a newly completed borehole was also commissioned.

At the event, the Baalo of Oyo, Oba Solomon Obahawu, commended the company for contributing to the development of his community.

The company had earlier this year trained and graduated no fewer than 40 women in fashion design in its drive for empowerment of women and youth. Head of Social Performance, Dangote Cement Plc, Head Office, Mr. Wakeel Olayiwola, had said the empowerment was one in the series of several other interventions for host communities being executed by Dangote Cement Plc across Africa.

Mr. Olayiwola expressed optimism that the graduates will create a chain of other graduates under them through apprenticeship, which will support job creation efforts in the communities around Kogi State.

Plant Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Obajana, Plant, Mr. JV Gungune, had told newsmen that the skill acquisition scheme was meant to support the government in its job creation efforts and ensure local economic development.