By MICHAEL EBOH

Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc said it is investing N100 million in the development of its host communities. The company is also spending over N100 million in various empowerment programmes targeted at youths and farmers in its host communities.

Speaking at the Lafarge WAPCO-Ewekoro Day and launch of a dual empowerment programme in block making and technical apprenticeship scheme, in Ogun state, Mr. Joe Hudson, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Lafarge WAPCO, said the company is currently undertaking various projects within its 12 host communities to help bridge their developmental challenges.

According to him, some of the projects include rehabilitation of roads and bridges, building of culverts and drainages, various borehole projects, schools and many others.

He said: “As you are aware, Lafarge considers the community as a key stakeholder in all its businesses worldwide. 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.”

The launch of the dual economic empowerment programme will see the company providing support to 10 persons, comprising four undergraduates of Block Making and Concreting from the Federal College of Science and Technology, Ijebu Imusin, Ogun State and six upcoming block makers, while 12 persons are to benefit from the company’s apprenticeship programme, designed to enable youths from its host communities acquire the necessary technical skills in the field of electrical, mechanical and automation.

Hudson stated that the Block Makers Empowerment Programme, BMEP, will help willing and committed block makers to either start up or expand their businesses and move from unemployment or small scale artisans to medium sized entrepreneurs and employers of labour.