The Committee of Baales and some residents of Ibeju Lekki, Lagos have showered encomium on the Management of Dangote Refinery, on its social responsibility initiatives.

They expressed appreciation to the company for providing vital infrastructure for their communities, repairing all the entrance roads of the 15 host communities by grading, sand filling, and applying stone base and now community people are able to access their abode without wading through the waters.

In a chat with select newsmen yesterday, Baale of Magbon-Segun, High Chief Mufutau Dauda said, Dangote Refinery has demonstrated a high level of social responsibility as it has executed so many tangible projects across all the host communities, even up to Lekki.

According to him: “We are all praying for Aliko Dangote. I even raised a special prayer for him in our community mosque this morning. He has done so well for all our communities. No doubt, he can do more, but for now, he is honestly trying. Our children are being trained inside the refinery site and they already passed the Level 1 and Level 2 examinations for City & Guilds certification in Electrical & Mechanical Engineering and they will be writing the examination for Level 3 certification soon. He also sunk boreholes for all the communities, and even provided generators, to each of the communities. And now, we have been informed the boreholes will be upgraded to solar power. His type is rare for sure.”

In a similar vein, the Baale of Okeyanta, High Chief Shakiru Bello, said the scholarship scheme, which was started in 2019 by Dangote has helped parents in the communities. He said: “When they started the scholarship scheme for secondary and tertiary institution students, we thought they wouldn’t be able to sustain it, but they have continued to increase the numbers of beneficiaries every year and this is highly commendable.

Mr. Akinola Yinusa of Okesegun community said his daughter is a beneficiary of the scholarship scheme and apart from the cash award, she is provided all her subject textbooks and academic materials like math set and calculator, and that his younger brother, Kabiru Yinusa, works as a full staff in the Refinery.

“The benefit of the Refinery is enormous to us in this community. My younger brother works in the refinery as a staff and my third daughter also benefited from the scholarship scheme last year, so I am happy. I know so many families that have been positively affected by the company, so, yes, I am among those praying for Dangote Refinery with my other community people. He also urged Dangote not to relent in its efforts to ensure that more jobs were provided for qualified graduates who are indigenes of the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

In the same vein, Ambali Useni a youth leader, also corroborated what other people have said, concerning the positive impacts of Dangote CSR initiatives and also said and reaffirmed the commitment of all the locals in ensuring that the company operates a rancour-free Plant, as it benefits both the state and the country at large.

According to him: “In this community, We, the youth are peaceful. We are happy with what Dangote Refinery management is doing for us and for our community, though like Oliver Twist, we are asking for more. The unemployment rate would have been very high in this area, if not for the operations of this refinery. Many of the community youths were trained to acquire skills in trades such as carpentry; bricklaying and masonry; plumbing; automobile mechanic; welding and metal fabrication; electrical installation; refrigeration and air conditioning; and generator repair. They were also issued the Trade Tests certificates as well as certificates from the National Directorate of Employment (NDE). Some of these youths now work with Dangote. We are optimistic that we will benefit more as we have all resolved to give the company our maximum support and cooperation.”

The communities in the area include Idasho, Ilekuru, Okeyanta, Magbon-Segun, Okesegun, Itoke, Idotun, Alasia, Okunraiye and Lekki towns, Imobido, Tiye, Mosa, Ilege, and Olomowewe.

Speaking also, High Chief S.A. Adeyemi thanked the management of Dangote Refinery for their unrelenting efforts at impacting their host communities positively describing the social performance profile of the company as very impressive.

He explained that with what Dangote Refinery has been doing for the people, it behooves the community leaders and all the residents to reciprocate and ensure peace reigns for the good of all so that the company can do more.

Much as the people and community leaders are lauding the company for the giant strides in the host communities, Adeyemi said “I am also enjoining them not rest on their oars. As Oliver Twist, we are still asking for more because all these projects can never be too much for the people. He concluded.