Dangote Cement Plc has announced the creation of 30 new entrepreneurs who are expected to help bolster food production and the Nigerian economy.
The new Chief Executives graduated last 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 partnerships during his speech at the recent Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Plant Director of Dangote Cement Plc at Obajana in Kogi State, Mr JV Gungune, said the company’s entrepreneurial scheme is a demonstration of the huge corporate support for the government and Nigeria.
The plant director, who was represented by Engr. Wale Adisa, a senior general manager, said the President and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, is a Nigerian who is passionate about corporate social responsibility and philanthropy.
Mr. Gungune told the beneficiaries to leverage the advantage conferred on them by the scheme, adding that it was a golden opportunity to be selected, trained, and empowered. He said the scheme has become necessary as it is not possible for the company to employ everyone.
He said the development was 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 certificates was gone.
Representative of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in Kogi State, Engr. Ezekiel Olufemi Olaitan said the government was happy with the series of economic, social activities, and opportunities created by Dangote Cement Plc, urging the beneficiaries not to disappoint Nigerians.
In his welcome address, General Manager, Community Relations and Special Duties, Mr Ademola Adeyemi, said the scheme was part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), adding that, of the 30 participants, 18 were females and 12 were males.
He said the training was conducted by the Kogi State College of Education (Technical), Kabba, on behalf of Dangote Cement Plc.
According to him, “The Dangote Cement PLC, Obajana Plant Empowerment Scheme, among many others, is aimed at transforming the youth to be skilled, self-reliant, and independent.
This year’s 2023 Youth Empowerment Scheme was particularly designed to develop selected youth from each community to be not just farmers in poultry (layer: egg) production 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.”
Representative of the Provost of the Kogi State College of Education (Technical), Kabba Dr Michael Udoma, said Dangote Cement Plc had empowered the beneficiaries with 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, Engr. Wale Adedeji, advised the new entrepreneurs not to rest on their oars but to keep reinvesting and profiting, saying they could learn from the founder of the company, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
Speaking, the Bajana of Obajana, Dr. Idowu Isenibi, expressed optimism that the programme will help in radically transforming the economy of the Obajana communities and Kogi State in general.
In the same vein, Olu-Apata Dr Frederick Balogun thanked the company for the programme and urged participants to keep investing in the business.
A representative of the graduates, Mr. Alolo Victor Eleojo, said they have registered a cooperative society to help buoy their financial standing.
“As new CEOs, we have formed a cooperative and done the necessary registrations,” he added.
He promised not to disappoint the Dangote Group and Nigerians as a whole.
Earlier in the programme, starter packs comprising medications, vitamins, cages, feeds, 50 layers, and poultry farm equipment were given to each of the 30 graduates.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Jet crash: I’m in good spirits — Minister of Power, Adelabu
Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, on Saturday allayed fears about his safety following Friday’s incident near…
Senator Natasha pays condolence visit to family of late Ohinoyi
While addressing sympathisers at the Palace of the late Ohinoyi, in Okene, Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan noted the former was…
Appeal Court sacks Senate Minority Whip, Nwokocha
Nwokocha, Tribune Online learned, represents Abia Central in the red chamber of the National Assembly on the platform of…
Why I was not part of Big Brother All Stars —Tobi Bakre
Former Big Brother Naija star, Tobi Bakre has said he didn’t regret not being part of the Big Brother Naija All Stars edition, noting that his…
What critics of Rufai Oseni don’t know about journalism
A viral, contentious dialogic confrontation between Arise TV’s Rufai Oseni and one Jesutega Onokpasa, identified as a lawyer and “APC chieftain,” on…
FULL LIST: Osimhen, Gift Orban bag nominations at 2023 CAF Awards
Super Eagles and Napoli forward, Victor Osimhen, has been nominated for the 2023 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men Player of...
“Surfactants are capable of penetrating the cell membrane and thus cause toxicity to living organisms.…
The Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Transparency in Governance under the leadership of Empowerment…
A licensed attorney in both Nigeria and the United States of America, Christian Oronsaye, has…
State governments have been urged to embrace and entrench community-based interventions to curb the impact…
The Federal Government has assured its commitment to strengthening access to justice, promoting transparency in…
The Nigerian Chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI) on Tuesday disclosed that the Department…
This website uses cookies.