Dangote raises 30 new entrepreneurs

…Urges youths to learn trade

Thirty new entrepreneurs who are expected to help bolster food production and ginger the Nigerian enconomy have been raised by the Dangote Cement PLC.

The new Chief Executives were graduated weekend following a three-month intensive entrepreneurial and skill acquisition training on poultry farming and business.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had advocated for Public Private Partnership during his speech at the recent Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Plant Director of the Dangote Cement Plc at Obajana in Kogi State, JV Gungune, said the company’s entrepreneurial scheme is a demonstration of the huge corporate support for government and Nigeria.

Represented by Wale Adisa, A Senior General Manager, he said the President and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote was one Nigerian who is passionate about Corporate Social Responsibility and philanthropy.

Gungune told the beneficiaries to leverage on the advantage conferred on them by the scheme, adding that it was a golden opportunity to be selected, trained and empowered. He added that the scheme has become necessary as it was not possible for the company to employ every one .

He said the development was as a result of the peaceful co -existence between the company and the communities, harping on the need for the youth to become skilled, and that the era of certificate was gone.

Representative of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in Kogi State, Ezekiel Olufemi Olaitan said the government was happy by the series of economic, social activities, and opportunities created by the Dangote Cement Plc, urging the beneficiaries not to disappoint Nigerians.

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Earlier in his welcome address, General Manager, Community Relations and Special Duties, Ademola Adeyemi, disclosed that the scheme was part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), adding that out of 30 participants 18 were females and 12 males.

He said the training was conducted by the Kogi State College of Education (Technical), Kabba, on behalf of Dangote Cement Plc.

“The Dangote Cement PLC, Obajana Plant Empowerment Scheme among many other is aimed at transforming the youth to be skill full, self-reliant and independent. This year 2023 Youth Empowerment Scheme was particularly designed at developing selected youth from each community to be not just farmers in poultry (layer: egg) producer’s but Entrepreneurs in Agricultural Business.

“The programme is equally aimed at eradicating some of the social vices and poverty that have eaten deep into our communities,” he said.

Representative of the Provost of the Kogi State College of Education (Technical), Kabba, Michael Udoma also said that the Dangote Cement PLC had empowered the beneficiaries by starter packs, Bags of Grower feed, battery cages, hand gloves, a 60 litre basin, a hand bowl and point of lay birds.

Head of the Dangote Academy, Wale Adedeji advised the new entrepreneurs not to rest on their oars, but keep reinvesting and profit, saying they can learn from the founder of the company, Aliko Dangote.

Speaking, the Bajana of Obajana, Idowu Isenibi, expressed the optimism that the programme would help in radically transforming the economy of the Obajana communities and Kogi State in general.

“As new CEOs, we have formed a cooperative and do necessary registrations. We promised not to disappoint Dangote Group and Nigerians as a whole,” he said.

Earlier in the cause of the programme, starter packs comprising medications, vitamins, cages, feeds, 50 layers and poultry farms equipment were given to each of the 30 graduands.