Scholarships have been awarded to members of host communities in Benue and Kogi States by Dangote Coal Mines Limited.
This is only a year into a coal mining operation at Effeche Akpalli in the Ugbokolo Ward of Benue’s Okpokwu Local Government.
Scholarship funds were also distributed to members of the coal communities in Ankpa, Kogi.
Similarly, the Dangote Cement Plant in Gboko provided scholarships to host communities in Benue.
The exercise has been part of the company’s annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme for host communities for over a decade.
Aliko Dangote, Group President of Dangote Industries Limited, announced a series of scholarship schemes for communities hosting the Dangote Sugar Refinery in Numan, Adamawa State, in 2022.
In Benue, 10 members of the Effeche community, who are currently studying in higher institutions of learning, benefitted from the fund.
The company’s contribution to the educational development in Nigeria has been described as immeasurable having constructed multimillion Naira edifices and hostels in some selected universities.
The company is adjudged to be Africa’s largest donor, and second biggest employer of labour, after government in Nigeria.
The Head of Dangote’s mining operation in Benue, Dillip Taman, said the scholarship was part of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the company, adding that the company takes the plights of the host communities very seriously.
He said the company is kick-starting several other projects contained in the Community Development Agreement.
The chairperson of the Okpokwu Local Government, Amina Audu, who was represented by the Leader of the Legislative Council, urged the beneficiaries to use the money efficiently, while urging the company not to relent in the annual scholarship scheme.
A community leader, Chief Samuel Ameh, said the community was desirous of ensuring a smooth operational turf for the company, saying a peaceful coexistence was a major prerequisite for profitability and community development.
