Improving Lives in Sokoto
The Cement Company of Northern Nigeria recently donated drugs and bags of cement to 74 villages in Wamakko Local Government Area of Sokoto State, in a bid to improve the wellbeing of people in the host communities, writes Mohammed Aminu
The management of the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (CCNN) in the last few years has devoted much efforts and resources in enhancing the socioeconomic well-being of its host communities. This is hinged on the belief that organisations and the communities in which they do business are in a symbiotic relationship. And that is why CCNN has taken Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a core of its existence in its quest to be the among the best organisations in the area of CSR. This commitment has in no small measure impacted positively on the host communities and the society at large.
The Sokoto State Government has a major role to play in fixing infrastructure and tackling the myriads of problems in every community, however, private organisations and business enterprises can also partner government in solving these problems. There is no doubt that residents of Wamakko Local Government Area have continued to benefit from the cement company over the years, particularly in various interventions in the health and education sector.
In fact, many communities that hitherto lacked potable water had been provided with boreholes which have gone a long way in tackling water borne diseases. Similarly, many primary health centres had been provided with hospital equipment and drugs to cater for women and children especially those that cannot afford to purchase drugs when afflicted with sickness.
Moreover, many children of the lessprivileged who could not afford to pay their tuition, are now being sponsored to undergo various degree programmes at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. This is in addition to the provision of allowances to the students to enable them concentrate on their studies. Thus, CCCN's huge investment and intervention in the host communities have yielded tangible benefits and in line with its mission to make the world a better place.
Speaking during the donation of drugs worth N5.5 million to six communities in Wamakko Local Government Area of the state, the Corporate Affairs Manager of the Company, Alhaji Sada Suleiman, said the gesture was part of the company’s corporate social responsibility and contribution to the health management of its host communities.
He stated that the assorted drugs which included anti-malarial, anti-biotics, analgesic, and laboratory consumables were meant for the benefit of children and pregnant women in the six communities. The manager said the benefiting communities included Wajeke, Kalambaina, Bakin Kusu, Arkilla, Mobile Police Barracks and Sabon Garin Alu.
He maintained that one of the priorities of CCNN was to complement the efforts of Sokoto State Government in providing adequate and functional services for the benefit of the people. "As a corporate organisation, we deemed it necessary to give back to the society by improving the health of our women and children. What we are doing here is to further complement government efforts in the health sector, "he said.
The CCNN boss urged the management of the benefitting communities to utilise the drugs for the purpose intended. He announced that the company was planning to extend the gesture to more communities in future.
On the 2040 bags of cement donated to 68 villages worth N7 million, Suleiman said the gesture was part of the company’s corporate social responsibility and assistance to development associations to carry out community projects in their communities. He explained that the donation was meant to enable the communities conduct repairs on mosques, cemetery, wells, Islamic schools, among others. He stated that each of the benefiting 68 communities was given 30 bags of cement. "We decided to assist development associations to carry out community projects because the company will not be able to reach all the communities to do these projects," he stressed.
In a remark, the Chairman of Wamakko Local Government Area, Alhaji Bello Buba, stated that the gesture was in line with the efforts of Governor Aminu Tambuwal in improving healthcare in the state. He commended the company for the gesture and called on the benefiting communities to make judicious use of the drugs.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Corporate Social Responsibility, Alhaji Abdulrahman Faruk Sayudi, described the gesture as a good step in the right direction aimed at improving the health of women and children in the host communities. He appealed to other companies operating in the state to emulate CCNN by giving back to the society.
Also speaking, the District Head of Kalambaina, Alhaji Abubakar Amadu, commended the company for providing scholarship and educational materials to students in the host communities. Amadu emphasised that the drugs donated to the host communities would go a long way in impacting positively on the health of women and children in the area. He reaffirmed the commitment of the traditional leaders in the host communities to continue to support the company in order to achieve the set objectives.
As a corporate organisation, we deemed it necessary to give back to the society by improving the health of our women and children. What we are doing here is to further complement government efforts in the health sector