CSR: Ibeju-Lekki residents applaud Dangote Oil Refinery for initiatives

*Community leaders and residents Ibeju-Lekki hail Dangote Oil Refinery for demonstrating ‘a high level of social responsibility’ as the company has executed several tangible projects across all the host communities up to Lekki area of Lagos State 

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

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

Dangote Group, in a statement Sunday, August 13, 2023, noted the traditional chiefs expressed appreciation to the company for providing vital infrastructure for their communities.

These they said included repairing all the entrance roads to the 15 host communities by grading, sand filling, and applying stone base.

The people in the communities now are able to access their abodes without wading through the waters.

Speaking with reports at the weekend, High Chief Mufutau Dauda, Baale of Magbon-Segun, said Dangote Refinery had demonstrated a high level of social responsibility as it has executed so many tangible projects across all the host communities, even up to Lekki.

Chief Dauda stated: “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.”

The Baale of Magbon-Segun also said: “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 sank 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.”

Likewise, High Chief Shakiru Bello, Baale of Okeyanta, said the scholarship scheme for children of the host communities was started in 2019 by Dangote to  assist parents in the communities.

“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.”

Speaking on Dangote Oil Refinery’s CSR initiatives to people in his community, Mr.Akinola Yinusa of Okesegun community, disclosed 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 mathematical set and calculator, and that his younger brother, Kabiru Yinusa, works as a full staff in the Refinery.

Benefit of Dangote Refinery huge for us: Community Residents

“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.”

Yinusa of Okesegun community also stated that “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 his efforts at ensuring that more jobs are provided for qualified graduates, who are indigenes of the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

The company as well noted certain Ambali Useni, a youth leader in the host community, also corroborated what other resudents have said, concerning the positive impacts of Dangote CSR initiatives.

Useni also reaffirmed the commitment of all the locals to ensuring that the company operates a rancour-free plant, as it benefits both the state and the country at large.

“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,” he stated.

According to him, the company issued the Trade Tests certificates to beneficiaries as well as certificates from the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

Useni said: “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.

High Chief Adeyemi 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.

As other people and community leaders are lauding the company for the giant strides in the host communities, Adeyemi also stated: “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.”

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