Dangote Cement said it has awarded scholarships to 115 students in various institutions through its community youth empowerment scheme as part of its commitment to building the capacity of youths in communities.
The firm said in a stameny on Sunday that it had commenced the skill acquisition training of 30 others in tailoring and fashion designing coordinated by the Industrial Trust Fund.
Speaking at the opening of the empowerment training programme, Dangote Cement Ibese, Plant Director, Mr Azad Nawabuddin, stated that the company had made a lot of contributions to the socio-economic development of its neighbouring communities in the spheres of health.
Nawabuddin said, “215 youths across the 16 host communities which constitute Dangote’s key stakeholders have been trained and empowered in different skills since the commencement of operations in Ibese with significant impact on the local economy.
“Our partnership with the ITF started in 2019 with the training and empowerment of 15 youths from the host communities on catering and event management, while 50 youths benefitted from the scheme in the specialised area of acutherapy in 2020.
“Today, we are gathered to declare open the 2021 training and empowerment programme on tailoring and fashion designing for 30 youths who have been carefully selected from our host communities.”
Nawabuddin urged the beneficiaries of the training programme to make good use of the chance.
He said, “Apart from reciprocating the good gesture of Dangote by ensuring peace at all times and keeping an open and trusting mind towards the organisation, we desire from our community leaders and representatives who are present here, the ownership of all social investment programme, be it training or infrastructure because they are meant for the betterment of your people.”
According to the statement, the Area Manager ITF, Ogun State, Mrs Funmi cooker, commended Dangote Cement for the gesture to train the youths.
She promised that the beneficiaries would get the best of training in tailoring and fashion designing which would serve as a source of livelihood for them.
Punch