Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
The Head of Special Performance, Dangote Cement Plant, PLC, Ibese, Mr Ademola Ojolowo has identified constructive stakeholders engagement as the top secret for the continued growth and acceptance of Dangote as the most admired brand in the country.
Mr Ojolowo disclosed that Dangote Group sees its host communities as crucial partners to the success of its day to day operations and therefore ensured that issues affecting their welfare and growth are given adequate attention.
Ojolowo stated this on Thursday while speaking during the two-day capacity building training for 50 journalists in the Southwest organised by Dangote Group in conjunction with Centre for Financial Journalism. The training with the theme “Ethics, Skills and Personal Qualities for Reporting In The Digital Age” was held at Continental Suites, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
Speaking on “Social Performance, Dangote Cement Plant PLC, Ibese Example” He explained that as a world-class company with vision to touching lives through the provision of basic needs of the people, the company however knew that its efforts towards achieving this lofty goal would be hampered without the support and cooperation of the host communities.
He said this is why the company made it a point of policy to from time to time engage all its stakeholders in the host communities such as the youths, the men, the women, the traditional rulers and community leaders with view to continually form partnerships that are quite beneficial to all concerned.
Ojolowo revealed further that such constructive engagement with the host communities help to mitigate whatever may be the company’s operation effect on its host communities and as such be creating better understanding and sustainable relationship.
He said it is on this note that Dangote invest in education, health, empowerment and infrastructure in its operating environment saying that in Ibese community which is being used as an example, the company has constructed schools, roads, rolled out empowerment programmes among others.
Ojolowo said this intervention has always been done taking into cognisance the needs of their immediate communities as demanded or requested.
He has therefore charged other coporate organisations to take a cue from Dangote and be more deliberate to build a reputable and acceptable brand by employing social performance policy which underscores deliberate activities that are done to positively impact the host communities and make life more rewarding for the people.