Lafarge Africa spends N168m on community projects in Ogun

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), cement giant, Lafarge Africa, has spent N168 million on projects in the Ewekoro Local Government in Ogun State, where one of its factories is located.

Among the projects are health centres, block of classrooms, and electricity transformer sub-station.

In addition, the company has given bursary awards of N100,000 each to 187 indigent undergraduates in various higher institutions, and empowered 114 adults with various trade equipment.

Again, 103 farmers have benefitted from the company’s farmers support programme while 115 elders in the area also benefitted from the company’s elderly care support programme.

Those who benefitted from the kind gesture were indigenes of 15 communities in the area.

The Lafarge Africa Country Chief Executive Officer, Michael Puchercos, who spoke at the 2018 Lafarge Community Day held in Ewekoro, disclosed that the gesture was part of the company’s effort to support and sustain the growth and development of its host communities with the aim of ensuring cordial relationship between the company and its host communities.

Puchercos added that Lafarge Africa is not only in Nigeria as foreign investors who are in the country for business only, but also to ensure the socio-economic growth and development through human capital development, physical wellbeing, economic empowerment, technical and vocational training, education as well as agricultural production.

Giving details of the executed projects, Puchercos said: “For the Ewekoro Community in Ogun State, projects launched at the Community Day include a block of five classrooms to the Local Government Nursery and Primary School, Jagunna, Itori, and a renovated block of four classrooms, head teacher and assistant head teacher’s offices with toilets for both teachers and pupils at First Africa Mission School, Lapeleke.”

In his speech, the Baale (Village Head) of one of the host communities, Joshua Oniyitan (Ilufemiloye I), expressed appreciation to Lafarge Africa, describing the projects as a timely intervention.