Relief has come the way of 115 indigent students drawn from 15 host communities within Ibese community in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State as the giant cement company – Dangote Cement, Ibese Plant disbursed over N10.3 million bursaries for 2017/2018 academic sessions.
The bursaries, which were increased from N75,000 to N100,000 each for 100 students drawn from 27 tertiary institutions across Nigeria for 2017/2018 academic sessions, were also given to additional 15 secondary school students at the rate of N25,000 each.
Speaking at the presentation of bursaries to the selected indigent students at Ibese cement plant at the weekend, Louis Raj, Acting Plant Director, explained that the management decided to increase the number of beneficiaries to 115 from the previous 80, and from N75,000 to N100,000 so that more children of the area could benefit.
Raj added that the decision was meant to encourage the young ones to go to school as a sure way of building them mentally and morally so that they be good to themselves and the society.
According to him, the scholarship award is just one of the many Social Services the Cement Company has committed itself to and continues to provide other social services as a way of giving back to the society within which it operates.
Raj stated that the bursaries 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 is the prevailing atmosphere of peace that makes the Company to operate smoothly.
Joseph Alabi, the General Manager, Government and Community Relations, while giving the breakdown of the scholarship said the award covered 115 students of Yewa origin studying various course across 27 higher institutions of learning in the country.
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 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 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.”
Responding, the Olu of Imasayi, Oba Gbadebo Oni said the host communities are happy with Dangote Cement, Ibese with its handling of community issues, saying Aliko Dangote deserves all the co-operation his people could muster for citing the cement plant in their land and then taking care of the people and the communities.
RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta
