Dangote Cement Plc has signed a new refined five-year Community Development Agreement (CDA) with its Ibese plant Ogun, state and Obajana, Kogi state, host communities.
This, it said, was a demonstration of its commitment to human capital and infrastructural development of its host communities.In its Obajana Plant, the mining communities, whose representatives jointly assented to the Community Development Agreement (CDA) pact are Oyo and Iwaa both in Kogi.
They all agreed that the pact would open doors for more job opportunities for locals and bring about rapid social and economic transformation of their communities.
Minister of Mines and Steel Development Olamilekan Adegbite, who witnessed the signing of the agreement, said the Federal Government was glad that Dangote Cement Plc had finally fulfilled its obligations to the host communities.
Adegbite explained “the CDA is in line with the 2007 Mineral and Mining Act of the nation”.
Represented by the ministry’s chief geologist, Ntuimbe Etta, the minister assured, “the APC led administration will continue to facilitate a peaceful atmosphere between the company and its host communities”.
In what was described as a novel idea, the decision to sign the agreement in full glare of the public, management of Dangote Cement, Ibese plant said the move was to underpin the fact that the company was irrevocably committed to the wellbeing of the residents in all the communities.
The director, Dangote Cement, Ibese Plant, Mr. Azad Nawabuddin, explained that, the signing of the CDA is the beginning of a new dawn both for the company and the host communities in the execution of the laid out social investment projects under the company’s Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) activities.
According to him, the CDA specifies Dangote Cement, Ibese Plant’s commitment to building infrastructural projects for the socio-economic development of the host communities which are well deserving.
“We gather as key stakeholders in fulfilment of the provisions of section 116 of the Minerals and Mining Act 2007, and 193 of the Minerals and Mining Regulation 2011 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“This occasion is a demonstration of our commitment to the development and overall well-being of our host communities and their people, as a responsible corporate entity. It also provides an opportunity to renew and refresh existing partnership between Dangote Cement and its major stakeholders in complementing the effort of the Government in nation building.
“Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese Plant signed the first Community Development Agreement with its host communities in 2013. This marked the beginning of concrete infrastructural and social supports in the areas of Employment, Education, Health, Training and Empowerment, Road, Potable Water, Electrification and so on, that have contributed immensely to improving the standard of living in our communities,” he pointed out.
Nawabuddin then expressed the appreciation of the management to the royal fathers of the host communities who appended their signatures to the CDA, for the peace and tranquility in the communities which has helped the company to operate unhindered though there were occasional disagreements but which were quickly resolved in the best interest of all parties.
One after another, the traditional rulers and other communities’ leaders took turn to comment of the CDA, especially on the transparent nature of the drafting and the public signing and expressed their satisfaction with the fresh agreement that will accelerate socio-economic development of their domains.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Olu of Aga-Olowo, Oba Kayode Adio Kusoro expressed his community’s appreciation to the management of Dangote Cement for its warm reception and commitment to its CSR for the host communities.
While commending the company’s openness and transparency in the all-inclusive agreement signing process, the monarch, however, expressed the hope that the company will keep faith with the letters of the agreement.
With the signing of the fresh agreement, each of the host communities will, within the next five years, (2022-2026) be entitled to specific projects that will add value to the lives and livelihood of their people.
In, Kogi, the Dangote Cement Plant director, Mr. J.V. Gungune, said the massive support for the communities envisaged in the new CDA was in alignment with the company’s vision and mission of supporting its host communities.
Gungune said: “This five-year agreement will be implemented between 2022 and 2026 devoid of any failure.
“Our group president, Alhaji Aliko Dangote is very appreciative and proud of the support from all the communities, including the plant communities of Obajana and Apata.
“The content of the CDA will be implemented under the supervision of the mutually agreed Community Development Monitoring Committee.”
Also, senior general manager and Head of Environment and Community Affair of the company, Tukur Lawal, said “Dangote Cement plc is a socially responsible organisation.”
According to him, the company will continue to touch lives through the provision of basic infrastructure, especially to host communities.
Lawal described the two mining communities as “very peaceful, supportive, and business-friendly.”
He noted that the presence of the company had indeed brought about urbanisation and development to the communities.
“Only recently, the company completed the country’s longest concrete road between Obajana and Kabba.
“It’s also worthy of note that our (Dangote Cement Plc’s) annual tax remittances to the government hovers above N100 billion,” he further disclosed
The traditional ruler of Iwaa, Oba Francis Migbole, in his response, described the President of the Dangote Group Alhaji Aliko Dangote, as a “God send” to his community, whose joy knew no bound.
He recalled that in 2021, the company completed a multi-million Naira health facility for Iwaa mining community.
Also, the ruler of Oyo, Oba Solomon Obahawu, described the company as a blessing to his people and the generations yet unborn.
The traditional ruler said that his community would do everything possible to continue to support the company so that it could enjoy a smooth operational turf.
The Baloo who spoke through his aide, Mr. David Oloruntoba, said that the Dangote Cement Plc had rescued his subjects from poverty and suffering.
In her goodwill message, director, Mineral and Ecological Services, Kogi, Mrs Atinuke Onimode, commended the company for living up to its social responsibility to the host communities and rescuing them from poverty.
Some of the areas of support itemised in the five-year Community Development Agreement include road infrastructure, education and scholarship, health, micro-credit and enterprise development.
Others are employment, vocational training, award of contracts, and the provision of start-up capital to businesswomen and youths among others.
