By correspondent
Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
Africa’s top donor, Aliko Dangote, has received torrents of acclamation from the communities hosting his companies in Nigeria.
Mr. Dangote, who doubles as the continent’s wealthiest person had endowed his Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) with a whopping $1.25billion, with his businesses donating several billions of naira for numerous Corporate Social Responsibility Schemes across Africa.
A statement from the Corporate Communications Department of the company said several billions of naira have been donated by Mr. Dangote to support health, education and environment in Africa’s most populous nation-Nigeria.
Meanwhile, host communities in the northern states of Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa and Adamawa States have thumped up Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) for what they described as significant interventions in their communities.
A catalogue of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) schemes in the coal mining communities of Benue shows that at the Effeche Akpali community, the company had completed several projects as contained in the Community Development Agreement (CDA).
The company said the Community Development Agreements (CDA) signed by the company and host communities’ had helped accelerated the provision of infrastructural development around the host communities.
Penultimate week, the Dangote Coal Mines donated multimillion naira health and educational facilities to the coal mining communities of Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi.
The newly commissioned facilities are located in the host communities of Awo Akpali and Awo Ojuwo in Ankpa Local Government Area.
The General Manager, Special Duties, Dangote Mines Limited, Nuhu Elujah, said the projects were contained in the mutually consented Community Development Agreement (CDA).
Mr. Elujah said that the CDA was earlier signed by the Dangote Coal Mines and the host communities.
Reacting, the Chairman of Ankpa Local Government Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Abagwu, thanked the company for the gesture.
The chairman, represented by the Education Secretary, Yakubu Ishiaka, however stressed the need for the communities to maintain the facilities in order to impact positively on the lives of the people.
The representative of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Samuel Olaetan, commended the management of the company for fulfilling its promises.
He advised the host communities to continue to support the company in the discharge of its CSR schemes.
The Monarch of Ankpa, Onu Ojoku, Alhaji Mohammed Ogbe, represented by his Council Secretary, Alhaji Usman Abu, lauded efforts of Dangote Group for ensuring that the agreement signed by both parties came to fruition.
The National Chairman, Awo Community Development Association, Robert Agagwu, appreciated Dangote for the timely completion and delivery of the projects.
Only recently, the Dangote Cement Plc, Obajana Plant commissioned a water project, even as it laid the foundation of a block of classrooms for secondary students.
Speaking at the event, the Baalo of Oyo, Oba Solomon Obahawu, said he was satisfied with the pace of infrastructural development in his community.
President and Chief Executive of the DIL, Aliko Dangote had announced that the company was doubling its scholarship and empowerment schemes its host communities.
Mr. Dangote was speaking at the Flagg off Ceremony of the 2022/2023 Crushing Season and Outgrower Scheme Awards in Numan, Adamawa State.
In Nasarawa, the company has implemented several projects which include: road rehabilitation, water supply and educational empowerment, among several others.
