Africa’s foremost humanist, Aliko Dangote, has received torrents of acclamation from the communities hosting the Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) in Nigeria.
Mr. Dangote, who is the continent’s wealthiest person had earlier endowed his Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) with a whopping $1.25billion, with his businesses donating several billions of naira for numerous Corporate Social Responsibility Schemes across Africa.
A statement from the Branding and Communications Department of the company said several billions of naira have been donated by Mr. Dangote to support health, education and environment in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation.
Meanwhile, host communities in the northern states of Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa and Adamawa States have thumbed up DIL for what they described as significant interventions in their communities.
A catalogue of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) schemes in the coal mining communities of Benue shows that at the Effeche Akpali community, the company had completed several projects as contained in the Community Development Agreement (CDA).
The Community Development Agreements (CDA) signed by the company and host communities’ had helped accelerated the provision of infrastructural development around the host communities, the statement added.
Penultimate week, the Dangote Coal Mines donated multimillion naira in health and educational facilities to the coal mining communities of Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi.
The newly commissioned facilities are located in the host communities of Awo Akpali and Awo Ojuwo in Ankpa Local Government Area.
General Manager, Special Duties, Dangote Mines Limited, Nuhu Elujah, said the projects are contained in the mutually consented Community Development Agreement (CDA).
Mr. Elujah said that the CDA was earlier signed by the Dangote Coal Mines and the host communities.
Reacting, the Chairman of Ankpa Local Government Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Abagwu, thanked the company for the gesture.
The representative of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Samuel Olaetan, commended the management of the company for fulfilling its promises.
He advised the host communities to continue to support the company in the discharge of its CSR schemes.
The Monarch of Ankpa, Onu Ojoku, Alhaji Mohammed Ogbe, represented by his Council Secretary, Alhaji Usman Abu, lauded the efforts of Dangote Group for ensuring that the agreement signed by both parties came to fruition.
The National Chairman, Awo Community Development Association, Robert Agagwu, appreciated Dangote for the timely completion and delivery of the projects.
Only recently, the Dangote Cement Plc, Obajana Plant commissioned a water project, even as it laid the foundation of a block of classrooms for secondary students.
Speaking at the event, the Baalo of Oyo, Oba Solomon Obahawu, said he was satisfied with the pace of infrastructural development in his community.
President and Chief Executive of the DIL, Aliko Dangote had announced that the company was doubling its scholarship and empowerment schemes in its host communities.
Mr. Dangote spoke at the Flagg off Ceremony of the 2022/2023 Crushing Season and Outgrower Scheme Awards in Numan, Adamawa State.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, Hama Bachama Dr Daniel Shaga Ismail described Mr. Dangote as God sent, and pledged that his people will continue to support the company.
He expressed deep appreciation to the President of the Dangote Group for the numerous educational and economic support offered to the host communities and the people of Adamawa State in general.
In Nasarawa, the company has implemented several projects including road rehabilitation, water supply, and educational empowerment, among several others.
Representative of the communities, Emir of Tunga, Alhaji Shuaibu Galadima Ibrahim said even though the company’s investment was yet to start yielding profit, compensations have since been being paid and CSR schemes are being implemented to support the communities.
He said, as Ambassadors of the Dangote Sugar Project, the communities would do everything possible to secure it.
He described Tunga as very lucky to be part of the Dangote story, saying his people had never dreamt of achieving such a feat.
”Here we pray for Alhaji Aliko Dangote every day. We want him to succeed because his success is linked to our success. In the past, we were a people relatively unknown, but now we are on the map,” he said.
“Dangote has given our people jobs, they have paid compensation, they’ve given us water, and they are giving us hospital and school. We should be thankful,” he added.
