Royal Fathers and Community Leaders have been advised to ensure judicious use of various Corporate Social Interventions of different Companies in their localities, to achieve effective and spiral economic development.

  Commissioner for Industry, Trade, and Investment, Mr. Adebola Sofela, made this admonition at the 2024 Community Day, organized by Dangote Cement, at Ibese in Ogun State.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olu. Ola. Aikulola, the Commissioner said that residents of host communities who were empowered with working tools, gadgets, and skills acquisition, should make the best use of the opportunities, enabling them not to be dependent on handouts and palliatives. The Commissioner reiterated that companies in the State should endeavour to carry out need-based social interventions, emphasising that meaningful and impactful living can best be measured by the number of lives touched. While assuring various businesses operating in Ogun State of government’s support towards rapid development, he emphasized that corporate social responsibility initiatives should be sustained.

"It is expedient that various companies should carry-out intervention projects on need-basis and our royal fathers and community leaders should monitor the judicious use of these interventions.

"Management of our industries should use feedbacks from relevant stakeholders to improve and sustain various initiatives," he said.

In his remarks, the Plant Director, Dangote Cement, Ibese, Mr. Roy Uttam, appreciated the support of the host communities, pointing out that the symbolic presentation of scholarship awards to 120 outstanding and indigent students alongside the distribution of 55 chest freezers to support vulnerable women in starting or expanding their businesses among others, were geared towards improving their livelihood.

         Critical stakeholders were also in attendance at the event.