No fewer than 2,319 students from tertiary institutions in Ogun State have benefited from Lafarge Africa scholarship scheme.
The Managing Director, WAPCO Operations, Lafarge Africa, Adepeju Adebajo disclosed this at the 2014 Community Development Programmes held in Sagamu and Ewekoro.
Adebajo said the giant cement manufacturer had, in the last six years, expended N231.9 million on bursary awards given to 2,319 indigent undergraduates of various tertiary institutions drawn from Lafarge cement plants’ communities in Ewekoro and Sagamu areas of Ogun state.
According to the Managing Director the gesture formed part of Lafarge’s corporate social investment focus on education, youth empowerment, shelther (including basic infrastructure development) as well as health and affordable housing, adding that “each of these key areas has been well covered in our community development programmes for this year.”
Adebajo declared that Lafarge Africa Plc also spent a total N200 million, N100 million each for both Sagamu and Ewekoro communities with a focus on education, youth empowerment, health and infrastructural development this year alone.
She said that five blocks of classrooms were re-constructed in five public primary schools, namely, African Church Primary School, Ewu-Oloja; Wesley Primary School, Gbara; St John’s Anglican Primary School, Ode-Lemo; and Zumratul Islamiyat Nursery and Primary School, Ojumele, all in Sagamu and Community Primary School in Alaguntan in Ewekoro.
The Managing Director also said that the Public hospital in Sagamu – Legacy Health Centre was equipped and had its Tuberculosis unit and Pharmacy department renovated, while 136 youths who had been trained on different vocations such as Hairdessing, Tailoring/ Fashion Design received working tools and equipment to start up businesses.
She said, “On youth empowerment, work equipment and tools for successful trainees in Tailoring/Fashion Designing and Hairdressing will be distributed on this occasion.
“In November 2012, two life-improving programmes for our youths – Supaset Block Makers Empowerment Programme, and Lafarge Technical Apprenticeship Scheme were launched by Lafarge to drive home our commitment to youth development. The beneficiaries of these schemes, which are still up and running, are youths from our host communities in Sagamu and Ewekoro.”
She however, added: “Lafarge Africa Plc will continue to live to its billing as a socially-reponsible and community-focused organisation as attested to by several notable independent national bodies and our darling Ogun state government with rare awards of distinction. We crave the continued support of all relevant stakeholders.”
Responding, Segun Odubela, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology submitted that Lafarge Africa’s intervention on education in the state had really improved the standard of education since the yearly bursary awards, educational materials and other interventions which the cement manufacturer provides for indigent students in the state, has really helped in moulding the life of young ones.
The Commissioner, who described Lafarge Africa’s Corporate Social Responsibilities as one of the best in the country, however urged other investors in the state to emulate Lafarge Africa by extending hands of help and support to the host communities where they operate and the entire state for even development.
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