Dangote Cement Plant in Ibese, located in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun state on Wednesday pledged to offer employment opportunities to brilliant graduates who hail from communities in and around its Ibese Cement Plant, thereby, increasing the number of indigenous staff currently working in the plant.
Armando Martinez, Plant Director, Dangote Cement Plant, Ibese, a member of Dangote Group, who said that job opportunities await brilliant graduates from Ibese communities, revealed that Dangote Group would increase its Corporate Social Responsibility portfolio by offering brilliant, indigenous graduates from its employment opportunities.
Speaking shortly after the distribution of bursary awards to 49 students drawn from communities that make up Ibese Cement Plant of Dangote Group, Plant Director said, “In Dangote Group, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to our communities is our watchword and focus.
“Distribution of scholarships, construction of roads and drainages, provision of transformers and other devices to connect communities to national grid, among others are what will do every year. We award scholarships to communities in order to give the communities part of wealth being created. To get the benefit of having production lines here and using natural resources of this area.
“I think everything is not about money but the main benefit is to provide them the opportunity to have better education, to have access to good universities and in the future, if they are good students, well-qualified, we will also offer them opportunities to work here at Ibese Cement Plant. This is part of CSR to ensure good relations, good partnership with our communities.
Earlier, Hezy Idowu, Asiwaju of Ibese land said on behalf of all communities in Ibese, stated that the communities would also want Dangote Group to solve age-long problem of dearth of potable water in Ibese and its environs, saying: “It is a very good gesture, but I would like to see the number of scholarships increased because the number of children is increasing.
“I am particularly grateful. I want to call attention of Dangote Group to one particular problem which I want Dangote Group to help us solve the problem, which is the problem of water supply at Ibese, it’s a very big problem, people are suffering because there is no potable water at Ibese.
Responding on behalf of the recipients, Ajayi Gabriel, a Senior School Student III of Asakanran Grammar School, said, “I am just even surprised because when one of Community brother told me about the Scholarship, I said you are a liar, how can Dangote give me Scholarship. So, when I got here today, I now see that it is true and I collected the Scholarship.
“I want to tell my colleagues that we should try our best and work hard, so that the Scholarship will not be withdrawn. For me, I am in SSS III and I promise to make my WAEC without any undue assistance.”
BusinessDay reports that Dangote Ibese Cement Plant, a member of Dangote Group, distributed bursary awards worth several millions of naira to 49 indigent students who are indigenes of Ibese communities, namely, 39 recipients from higher institutions and 10 pupils from Secondary schools located across the country.
