Draiklinas Limited, a corporate and industrial cleaning company, has highlighted the potential of the cleaning sub-sector of the facilities management (FM) industry, saying it can contribute up to $1 billion to the Nigerian economy.
The company’s country manager in Nigeria, Afolabi Abraham, who stated this said the industry can also lift families out of poverty by employing at least a million people. He stated the need for a more deliberate effort at structuring, professionalising and supporting the cleaning industry in Nigeria.
He spoke in Lagos recently, citing industry statistics, Abraham stated the cleaning industry contributes over GBP 24 billion to the UK economy and one of the largest employers of labour at over 700,000 while the sector is estimated at $53 billion employing close to two million people in the US.
He reiterated the determination to provide the required leadership in the sector to engage other operators in the sector; education; trade & industry authorities as well as local and multilateral financial institutional partners to bring attention to the potential locked in this sector in contributing significantly to GDP growth and support the country’s effort to get out of recession and empower people especially the most economically vulnerable in a sustainable manner that will assure a decent quality of life.
The company commended the efforts of government at instituting the National Vocational Qualifications level 1 -13 and implored the speedy and effective implementation of the policy by ensuring that key operators and stakeholders especially in the private sector are consulted and engaged on the modalities for professionalising the operators in the sector to ensure the implementation is aligned with the overarching objective of strengthening the sector and raising the profile of the sector as potential significant contributor to the national economy.
In recognition of the contributions of the important resource within the cleaning industry, Valentine Mbachu, one of the staffers, was rewarded as the 2017 service ambassador for the company. He is a cleaner who in addition to gifts by the company was also rewarded with an all-expense paid trip to Dubai by a technology partner and TAMS supplier to Draiklinas Limited for being the most punctual and most productive janitorial operative for the past year.
The company also recognised, Jude Mmaduwuba for his long service to the company and unwavering commitment to excellent service for the past 13 years.
He trained and mentored Valentine the 2017 service ambassador in the company. The pioneer staff of its industrial cleaning sector; Sina Ogunbona who has been with company for the past 17 years was equally honored with pioneer staff award and cash gift.
JOSHUA BASSEY
