Dangote Cement Gives Multi-Million Naira Scholarship To 115 Students

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L-R: His Royal Majesty, Oba Gbadebo Oni, Olu of Imasayi; Dangote Cement Ibese Plant Director, Louis Raj; Human and Asset & Admin Manager, Dangote Cement Ibese Plant, Fola Ali; General Manager, HR and Admin, Dangote Cement Ibese Plant, Abdulmalik Shehu; AGM, Human Assets Management & Admin, Dangote Cement Ibese, Abu Sufyan; and One of the scholarship beneficiary, Badru Abidemi Opeyemi, 300 Level student of Tai Solarin University of Education at the presentation of scholarship award to the host communities of Dangote Cement, Ibese Plant, Ogun State, recently.

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese Plant in Ogun State has announced a multi-million Naira educational scholarship award for 115 students from its 15 host communities for the 2017/2018 academic session.

The Company said it decided to increase the number of beneficiaries to 115 from the previous 80 so that more children could benefit. It also disclosed that the scholarship has become an annual event meant to contribute to the educational development of its host communities.

Louis Raj, Acting Plant Director of Dangote Cement, Ibese, while speaking during the presentation of cheques to the beneficiaries at Ibese Plant explained that the scholarship award is just one of the many Social Services the Company has committed itself to and continue to provide other social services as a way of giving back to the society within which it operates.

Raj stated that the scholarship award and other CSR projects were being undertaken as a way of saying thanks to the people for maintenance and sustenance of peace in the area pointing out that it was the prevailing atmosphere of peace that makes the company operate smoothly.

Joseph Alabi, General Manager, Government and Community Relations, while giving the breakdown of the scholarship said the award covered 115 students of Yewa origin studying various courses across several higher institutions of learning in the country.

Some of the schools where the beneficiaries are studying include Polytechnics, Universities, College of Educations, College of Technologies, and secondary schools scattered across Ogun state.

Alabi also announced a list of candidates from the host communities who have been selected to attend Dangote Academy for training in various arts and vocations pointing out that the training will equip them with the wherewithal to work and do their own business whenever they chose to.

“In Dangote Group, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to our communities is our watchword and focus. Giving scholarships, construction of roads and drainages, provision of transformers and other projects to connect communities to the 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.”

“I think everything is not about money but the main benefit is to provide them with the opportunity to have better education 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,” he added.

In his remark, the Olu of Imasayi, Oba Gbadebo Oni said the host communities are happy with Dangote Cement with its handling of community issues, saying Alhaji Aliko Dangote deserves all the cooperation his people could muster for citing the cement plant in their land and then taking care of the people and the communities.

He promised that his people would continue to give peace a chance always because to whom much is given, much is expected. The Monarch said the education scholarship is the best thing that has happened to the host communities because the issue of quality education cannot be quantified in monetary terms.

The scholarship according to him, has offered a big relief to parents who have to struggle so much to ensure their children school fees are paid, saying they will forever be grateful to the management of Dangote cement.

It would be recalled that the company had some years ago instituted scholarships for the indigenes of any of the host communities in any higher institution and secondary schools with the management saying it was poised to making life more meaningful to all members of the host communities with a promise to ensure that all projects meet the specific need of each community.

Also, the Dangote Cement Plc, Gboko factory in Benue State had also given out N20 million worth of scholarships to indigent students from the firm’s host community, Mbayion, as part of its CSR in the last one year.

The Group also emerged Nigeria’s best Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Company according to a survey by Governance Advancement Initiative for Nigeria (GAIN), an NGO.

Dangote was the adjudged overall winner among 25 Nigerian and multinational companies operating in the country in 2016, scoring 6.3 percent, followed by Nestle with 5.51 percent and Etisalat with 5.45 percent.