The Ogun State government has called on industries to build and maintain the culture of adequately consulting members of their host communities before implementing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects to ensure those projects are truly needed by the people in those communities.

Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Adebola Sofela made the call during the Community Day Celebration themed, "Celebrating Inclusive Development" organised by the Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese where women, farmers and youths were empowered, infrastructural projects showcased and 119 indigent and brilliant students were presented scholarship awards.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Olu. Ola. Aikulola, Sofela said implementing need-based CSR projects would improve the lives of the people and help the industries enjoy industrial peace, adding that companies should also ensure the projects implemented are commensurate with the impact of their operations on the environment.

"A lot has been done by Dangote Cement Plc and I have seen the projects in the brochure that was circulated. This is indeed very impressive. This is the only way you can have industrial peace when host communities are satisfied with you.

I must add that whatever you do must be on need basis. This is very instructive. You need to find out from the major stakeholders particularly the Kabiyesis what the community needs and whatever you are doing must be commensurate with the impact on the environment," the Commissioner said.

He urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the empowerment to improve their lives while also advising the company to continue to build an effective conflict resolution mechanism to proactively address any potential crises before such development snowballs into riots which may impede the company's operations.

The Commissioner who lauded Africa's richest man and Chairman, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote for being an impactful business man, assured that the Dapo Abiodun-led administration would continue to maintain an open-door policy for investors, while creating an enabling environment for businesses to flourish.

"Let me assure you that on the part of the government,  we will continue to provide you with needed support .Be  assured that our door is always open. I expect that the management of Dangote Cement Plc will relate with the Ministry on how the government can help you. Don't wait until we draw you," Sofela stated.

Delivering the opening remarks, Plant Manager, Dangote Plc, Ibese, Mr. Nawabbudin Azad, said as part of the Community Day Celebration, the company implemented 23 social investment projects and revamped 10 non-functional CSR projects across 17 host communities while its maiden edition of the ‘Care for the Elderly’ programme had fifty aged men and women from the host communities as beneficiaries.

While assuring the host communities of the company's unflinching commitment to Community Development Agreement, Azad added that 119 indigent and brilliant students were selected to benefit from the scholarship award, while 30 youths were undergoing training on shoe and leather bag making and   farmers have been empowered with 60 weeding machines in addition to the  presentation of 50 units of chest freezers to vulnerable women to start and scale-up their businesses.

In their separate remarks, two of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Sherifat Akintunde and Mr. Mufutau Adewale said the empowerment programme of the cement manufacturing company had helped many women start and upscale their businesses and extricated beneficiaries from poverty while a lot of youths have been given the opportunity to continue their education as well as  become gainfully employed.