Lafarge Africa gives back to Ewekoro Community
*Gives N20.4m bursaries to Indigent Students
As part of efforts to give back to Ewekoro, its host community where Lafarge Africa PLC has been operating in the last 60 years, the world renowned cement and building solutions company has empowered hundreds of residents of some villages and communities under the Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun state.
At the annual Lafarge Africa community day event which held at Agbesi, Ewekoro Lakatabu Plant II recently Lafarge Africa under its empowerment programme which cuts across four cardinal areas of social intervention including education, health, infrastructure development and other forms of support handed over N20.4 million cheques as bursaries to 204 indigent students. The beneficiaries of the award were students from various tertiary institutions and selected from all villages and communities in Ewekoro local government.
In addition to the bursary awards, this year, the projects for the CSR intervention for the communities include; a newly constructed Health Centre built for Olujobi community, to improve access to quality healthcare for the people of Olujobi and its environs.
The installation of a substation and electrification of Oke Oko Sekoni community is in alignment with Lafarge Africa’s commitment to improving the quality of life of the people in the communities.
In addition, the Alagutan Reinforced Concrete Road and Drainage as well as a Community Town Hall as a demonstration of the company’s commitment to infrastructural development and boosting the economy of their host communities.
Other donations were agricultural support tools to scores of farmers; stipends as elderly care support and empowerment of youths with tricycles and motorcycles.
Speaking at the community day event, Michel Puchercos, Lafarge Africa Country CEO welcomed all the dignitaries and thanked them for taking time out of their busy schedule to celebrate with Lafarge Africa.
“As an organization, we recognize our host communities as our partners, building progressively together for the future, while ensuring that we leave positive footprints that will impact the society. We are committed to sustainable development with special focus on the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, which is entrenched in our 2030 Sustainability Ambitions. Our sustainability goals focus on four major pillars – climate and energy, environment, circular economy, as well as community”.
He noted in the speech, “As we launch these projects today, let me use this opportunity to assure the Ewekoro community of our long-term commitment to investing in the community and its people. Our heartfelt appreciation goes to the government of Ogun State as well as our traditional rulers for the exemplary leadership they continue to demonstrate. We thank the Ewekoro Community Relations Committee for supporting our goal of creating sustainable, peaceful communities. We also thank the people of Ewekoro for creating an enabling environment for our business”.
Lafarge Africa’s annual corporate social responsibility for host communities cuts across the South-West, South-South and North-East regions of the Country.
Puchercos further explained that the social intervention in the areas of health is expected to improve access to quality healthcare for the people of Olujobi and environs, and huge amount as bursaries and provision of stationeries and educational materials will spur rapid and sustainable growth in the area of education and academics.
He noted that provision, installation and electrification of Oke-Oko Sekoni; distribution of agricultural support tools and other empowerments such as the elderly care support, provision of some tricycles and motorcycles, among others will fasten all-round socio-economic growth and development in the areas.
The community day event is an annual event by Lafarge Africa to celebrate with their host communities, give back, and demonstrate its commitment to doing sustainable business in Nigeria as a responsible corporate citizen. This community day is celebrated across all the communities where Lafarge Africa has its operations.
In attendance from Lafarge Africa were the Representative of the Active Plant Manager, Ewekoro, Engineer A.G. Bakare, the Acting Head, Financial Planning and Performance Analysis, Marie-Christiane Kaul, the Communications and Public Affairs Manager, South-West, Oluyemi Bakare and the Community Relations Manager, South West, Oluyomi Owolabi.
Present at the event were special guests of honour and dignitaries from the government and across the host communities. The representative of Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Commerce, Representative of Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education Ogun State, Mr Erinle, Representative of Chairman, Ewekoro Local Government. Also in attendance were The Olu of Itori, Oba Abdul Fatai Akorede Akamo, The Onipapa of Papalanto, Oba Rasaki Jimoh Famuyiwa, Chairman, Ewekoro Community Development Committee & Kabiesi of Ajegunle Egbado, Kabiesi Joshua Oniyitan, Chairman, LAOOCDA and Baale of Okeoko Sekoni Chief Mukiala Ogunsola among other respected Baales.
