Lafarge gives bursary award to 72 indigent students in Sagamu

Lafarge Wapco says it wants to be known for its consistent corporate social responsibility.

A cement producer, Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria Plc on Tuesday awarded bursary to 72 students in Ogun State. The company also provided medical equipment and consumable supplies to 23 primary health centre and health posts in Sagamu town of Ogun State.

The award ceremony, tagged Sagamu Community / Lafarge-Wapco Day 2012, which is part of the company’s social responsibility for the community, took place at Akarigbo Ground, Ita-Oba, Sagamu.

The bursary awards for the indigent students cut across Tertiary Institutions (Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and Schools of Nursing) in the state.

Similarly, nineteen artisans were empowered with presentation of tools and equipment meant for various technical / vocational trades including electrical rewiring, plumbing and mechanical maintenance, and welding and metal fabrication.

At the ceremony, 18 junior secondary schools received 168,000 textbooks, while nine senior secondary in the local government got free laboratory equipment and materials.

The Chairman, Sagamu Community Development Council, Michael Oyedele, in his welcome address said the community will always strive for continuous improvement in the relationship between it and Lafarge Cement Wapco.

“On our part, we will continue to reciprocate Lafarge Cement Wapco’s kind gestures, by giving strong support and understanding that will create always, the enabling environment for the company to grow ceaselessly and operate profitably,” he said.

The Managing Director of Lafarge Wapco, Joe Hudson, in his remark said it is the company’s desire to not only be known for cement production, hence, its genuine desire for continuous social responsibility.

“At Lafarge, we place local stakeholder relations at the core of our business, basing our approach on dialogue, transparency, responsibility and the contribution to the economic and social development of our local territories,” he said.

He said the company’s corporate social investment focuses on four priority areas of education and youth empowerment, shelter, health, and safety.

“For this year alone, a sum of N85million was approved by the company for various community developmental activities and projects in Sagamu,” Mr. Hudson said.