Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese Plant has partnered the umbrella youth association, that is, the Yewa Youth Association to stage its maiden Leadership Conference successfully.
This, it said, is part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) towards empowering residents of its host communities.
Besides, the Cement Company also sponsored youths from its 17 host communities to the Conference in an effort to allow them imbibe leadership skills geared to help them in the development of Yewaland.
The conference, which was held at the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro attracted Yewa youths from across the country and in the diaspora, as they brainstormed on the socio-economic development of the area and the expected roles of the youth leaders.
Head of Social Performance, Dangote Cement Ibese, Mr. Ademola Ojolowo said the company partnered the Youth Association and sponsored some Yewa youths to the conference because of its recognised need for continued empowerment of the youths with up-to-date information and social network required for the present socio-economic situation in the country.
According to him, no fewer than 37 youths from the host communities were sponsored by the company from their bases across the country.
“Youth leadership training is of paramount importance to the management of Dangote Cement given the state of economic uncertainty and social challenges bedevilling the nation now. How are you playing to your strengths, mobilising your team, steering organisational change and restoring confidence in these challenging times is what the conference is all about and that is why we took keen interest in it”, Ojolowo stressed.
He explained that the company has executed various empowerment programmes in the mould of vocational training with start-up kits with the underlining philosophy that formal education is no longer enough for stable future for youth but additional vocational training so that the youths of the area can be self-employed gainfully and be useful to themselves and the society at large.
With the theme ‘Empowering Youth: Leadership, Civic Engagement & Active Citizenship’, engaging sessions were held on building youth capacity for effective participation in local governance and community development, opportunities and prospects for community development through active citizenship, building resilient businesses and strategies for overcoming challenges, at the conference.
Chairman of Dangote Cement, Ibese Youth Assembly and a representative of Ibese Community at the Conference, Mr. Ajayi Idowu, commended the management of Dangote Cement Plc for sponsoring host youths to the conference, underscoring the importance of such an educative conference for the youths to continue peaceful co-existence with the Plant.
President, Yewa Youth Association (YYA), Jabar Ayelaagbe, assured that the Association is committed to redefining youth engagement in Yewaland for inclusiveness and socio-economic development.
He promised that the Yewa youths would work with the management of Dangote Cement to sustain the prevailing peace and tranquillity, noting that no development can come from an atmosphere of violence and business disruption.
