Dangote Cement PLC has donated 25 operational vehicles, equipped with security features, to the Ogun Security Trust Fund (OSTF).
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Presenting the vehicles to OSTF in Lagos, Mr Emmanuel Ikazoboh, Independent Non-Executive Director, Dangote Cement Plc, said the donation was informed by the need to boost the Fund’s operation, as security was essential to economic development.
Ikazoboh said there was need to ensure adequate security in business operating environment to encourage investment and create employment.
“No investor will be willing to put funds in an economy where insecurity is rife with lawlessness and chaos the order of the day.
“We are major investors in Ogun State and as such we prefer a state of orderliness and sound security which allows businesses to thrive.
“I recall that our then Group Managing Director, Engr. Joe Makoju, made a pledge on behalf of the company to present operational vehicles to the Fund.
“As a corporate socially responsible organisation, the security and well-being of our host communities remain utmost in our minds,” he said.
The director explained that government alone could not continue to bear the full cost of meeting the expectations of the entire populace in the provision of basic necessities like health, education and security for the citizenry.
He stated that this gave rise to Public Private Partnerships, where private sector collaborates with public sector in the provision of essential services.
“Our desire to partner government or the public sector informed our interventions such as Itori-Ibese road, Apapa-Wharf road and Obajana-Kabba road.
“We are also at the forefront of combating the COVID-19 pandemic and have adopted several protocols such as social distancing, provision of temperature scanners, hand sanitisers, face masks and sick bays, designed to secure the health of our staff at the cement plants.
“We have also provided basic necessities to prevent infection and transmission of the virus in our plants,” he said.
Ikazoboh urged other corporate social bodies to partner with the Ogun Security Trust Fund through provision of necessary operational tools.
“This collective support, we believe, will go a long way to ensure adequate security for all stakeholders in Ogun State,” he said.
Responding, the Executive Secretary of the Fund, Mr Opeyemi Agbaje, commended the management of Dangote Cement Plc, saying that the gesture would go a long way to help the Fund achieve its core mandate of maintaining security with ease.
“When you do a fund raising, we are used to the Nigerian phenomenon, where it’s very easy to make a pledge and when it is time to redeem, it becomes difficult.
“We are happy that this is a fulfilment of a pledge made sometimes ago,” he said.