Dangote Cement Plc, Obajana Plant, has distributed educational materials to pupils in Lokoja, Kogi State, as part of its corporate social responsibility programme.

The company’s General Manager, Social Performance Department, Ademola Adeyemi, in a statement on Sunday, described the initiative as an extension of Dangote Cement’s corporate social responsibility interventions.

According to him, the Lokoja programme followed the recent distribution of similar educational materials to pupils in public schools in the company’s catchment communities of Oyo, Iwaa, Obajana and Apata. He added that the company also commissioned a multi-million-naira hospital in Obajana, complementing earlier hospital projects in Iwaa and Oyo communities.

Adeyemi said the company had, over the years, invested billions of naira in social programmes for host communities, including empowerment initiatives, road construction and potable water projects, adding that it remained committed to sustaining and expanding its interventions.

He noted that the company’s corporate social responsibility programmes are aligned with government development priorities and implemented through sustained partnerships.

The statement from the company stated, “The educational materials distributed included school bags, exercise books, writing materials, water bottles, and other essential learning aids aimed at enhancing the learning experience of the pupils and preparing them for the next academic session.”

It added, “The intervention was informed by findings from a needs assessment conducted by Dangote Cement Plc. During the assessment, it was observed that several pupils attended school without school bags, while others carried their books by hand. It was also discovered that many students lacked essential learning materials such as exercise books, pens, pencils, and other basic learning materials.”

Speaking at the event, the Head Teacher of UBE LGEA School, St. Luke Model II, Adankolo, Lokoja Local Government Area, Abubakar Sanni, expressed appreciation to the management of Dangote Cement Plc for the intervention.

Sanni also thanked the Group President of the conglomerate, Aliko Dangote, for extending the company’s educational support programme beyond its host and impacted communities to schools in the state capital.

The beneficiaries, school management, parents and community stakeholders also expressed appreciation to Dangote Cement Plc for the intervention and wished the company continued success in its community development initiatives.