In a very significant way, Lafarge Africa, a producer of cement and other building solutions, has lifted lives, particularly those of students, farmers and the elderly, with projects launched across its host communities.
These communities are Ashaka in Gombe State, Mfamosing in Cross River State, and Ewekoro in Ogun State.
The company has made the launching of these projects a tradition and this year’s edition, according to Lolu Alade-Akinyemi, the company’s managing director/CEO, took a turn for the better as there were projects for students, farmers and the communities as a whole.
Alade-Akinyemi who spoke at the company’s annual Community Day celebration, explained that the projects were carefully designed to address specific needs within the host communities, and also attend to the specific needs of students, farmers and other beneficiaries.
In Ashaka, the company inaugurated school infrastructure projects in Lariski, Anguwan Kellumi, and Jauro Maza communities. Additionally, agricultural ecology projects were launched and these included the distribution of 900 bags of Urea/NPK for community farmers, and forging a partnership with NAERLS, ABU, Zaria, to establish demonstration farms and conduct sensitisation programmes.
The community also received food palliatives for vulnerable and elderly individuals, scholarships for 50 students in Funakaya/Maiganga, and support for 200 students through the Grema Mustapha Scholarship scheme, each receiving N60,000.
Further interventions in Ashaka encompassed solar borehole drilling at Emir of Funakaye’s Palace Bajoga, Wuro Achama, Sharfuri Maternity, and Jalingo Ashaka. Lafarge also committed to rural and community road rehabilitation from workers’ village to Ashaka-Garri and Lariski and Sabon Gari Maza, Pindiga Emir’s palace chamber renovation, clinic conversion to doctors’ quarters, and medical outreach programmes benefiting coal mining communities and Funakaye residents.
In Mfamosing, Cross Rivers State, Lafarge Africa commissioned the Solar Street Lights project at Akwa Ikot Effanga Community and Akpabuyo Local Government Area.
The company provided educational support for 100 secondary and 40 tertiary students. It also provided NYSC support for host community schools, distributed over 10,000 exercise books, and supplied school desks while adopting school projects across host communities’ primary and secondary schools.
Lafarge also touched on the healthcare needs of the people with the equipping of health centres with drugs in Abiati, Essien Town, and Akansoko, as well as constructing health worker lodges at Mfamosing community and training centres at Ekong Anaku.
The infrastructure projects included building a town hall at Mbobui, equipping the Kasuk training centre with modern tools for fashion and design training, and providing portable water in Abiati, Diamond, and Essien Town.
Moreover, the company contributed to community livelihood through food and business equipment donations to 150 elders and also implemented an Agroecology palm fruits project across host communities.
