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As UN General Debate Ends, Dangote Volunteers Commence Sustainability Week Initiatives

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Aliko Dangote

 

 

 

 

As the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly winds up in New York, USA today (September 27), Dangote employees across the Group’s operations in Africa are implementing various initiatives aimed at empowering their host communities and ensuring a sustainable present and future for the conglomerate.

 

The initiatives form part of the activities to mark the Dangote 2021 Sustainability Week, a purely volunteering process among employees of the Group, with the theme “Building a Sustainable Future – The Dangote Way”. The Week begins on September 27 and ends on September 30.

 

The theme for this year’s Dangote Sustainability Week is in tandem with the theme of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 76), which is “Building Resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people, and revitalize the United Nations.” The UNGA is the main policy-making organ of the global Organisation comprising 193 Members States, among them Nigeria.

 

This year’s theme and initiatives, according to the Sustainability Unit at the Dangote Group Head Office at Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos State, are focused around six core UN SDGs – SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 3 (Good Health & Wellbeing), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

 

For the 2021 Sustainability Week, Dangote employee volunteers and numerous Sustainability Champions are expected to undertake empowerment and development initiatives in their host communities across the Group, with activities monitored by the Sustainability Function. The events will avail sustainability champions across Dangote operations the opportunity to execute social projects that align with the Group’s community engagement objectives and with optimum benefits for local beneficiaries.

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The Week is aimed to help project the social side of the Dangote brand, helping to build goodwill and cordiality with host communities, thereby enhancing the Group’s social license to operate.

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There would be empowerment and sustainable activities at Dangote Cement Cameroon, Dangote Cement Congo, Dangote Cement Ethiopia, Dangote Cement Gboko plant in Nigeria, Dangote Cement Ghana, Greenview Limited, Dangote Cement Ibese in Nigeria, NASCON Allied Industries (Dangote Salt), and Dangote Cement Obajana in Nigeria.

 

Other participating Business Units include Aliko Dangote Foundation, Dangote Packaging, Dangote Rice Limited, Dangote Cement Senegal, Dangote Cement Sierra Leone, Dangote Cement South Africa, Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Cement Tanzania, Dangote Transport, and Dangote Cement Zambia.

 

At the DIL Head Office at Ikoyi, Lagos, the Sustainability Function, in collaboration with the Group HSSE, Human Resources, and Corporate Communications will organize an Outreach Programme for physically challenged persons at the Pacelli School for the Blind, Surulere, Lagos; and the Lagos State-owned Old People’s Home, Sabo-Yaba. This will involve the donation of basic food items and other consumables, accompanied by a pep talk and awareness session on good hygiene and COVID-19 prevention; in line with Goals 2 & 3 of the UN SDGs.

 

Another proposed initiative at the Head Office is the ‘Waste as Public Health Risk’ Campaign, in line with Goals 3, 6 and 13 of the UN SDGs. This will involve an awareness campaign on the impacts of wastes (plastic wastes and poorly discarded COVID-19 PPEs such as facemasks, hand gloves e.t.c. on the environment and public health, and how to manage such wastes sustainably. Proposed beneficiaries include those at the Mammy Market, Falomo, Taxi drivers at Falomo bridge, and members of Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA)/ Army Officers’ Wives Association, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

 

As part of this year’s Sustainability Week, the Volunteers are collaborating with a waste off-taker to station a waste drop-off Bin at the Mammy market. Leveraging this initiative, over 400 women in the market will be able to drop off recyclable wastes that they have collected from the market or in their neighborhoods, and be paid based on the quantity or weight of the wastes that they drop off. It is therefore environmental stewardship as well as wealth creation initiative for hundreds of women that use the market, and this is to be sustained even after the 2021 Dangote Sustainability Week.

 

To ensure compliance with the various health procedures and safety protocols adopted by the Group to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sustainability Unit, in collaboration with the Group Human Resources and Group Health, Safety, Social, and Environment Departments, also rolled out safety measures for all participating employee volunteers across all the Business Units for the Dangote Sustainability Week ending on September 30.

 

These include zero compromises in terms of compliance with COVID-19 precautionary measures. (facemasks, hand sanitisers, physical distance, ventilation and up to 50% bus occupancy rate). There is also reduction in the number of volunteers embarking on field visits (group outreach programmes, etc); e.g. 50% reduction in the number of persons that would have participated.

 

The BUs are also to ensure that vulnerable employees or those who may be at higher risk of serious illness (e.g. older employees i.e. > 65 years old and those with medical conditions such as diabetes, heart, and lung disease) are advised not to participate physically in these events.

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Kaduna 2027: Governor Uba Sani Replaces Deputy, Names Jerry Adams as Running Mate

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

In a major political realignment ahead of the 2027 governorship election, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has officially nominated the Chairman of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), Jerry Adams, as his new running mate.

The announcement, made on Tuesday via a personally signed statement, effectively signals the end of the ticket with the current Deputy Governor, Hadiza Balarabe, who also served as Deputy to former Governor Nasir El-Rufai during his second term.

Governor Sani framed the decision as more than a political calculation, describing it as a “reaffirmation” of his administration’s core philosophy of inclusive governance.

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“This decision is far greater than the selection of a deputy governorship candidate. It is a reaffirmation of the values that have guided our administration since I took the oath of office on 29 May 2023; the values of inclusion, justice, fairness, equity and the unwavering conviction that every citizen of Kaduna State deserves a genuine sense of belonging,” the Governor stated.

Addressing the state’s complex socio-political landscape, Sani noted that Kaduna’s rich diversity in ethnicity, religion, and culture should be a source of strength rather than division. He reflected on the state’s history, emphasizing the need to learn from past conflicts.

“Our history has taught us difficult lessons about the heavy cost of division, mistrust and exclusion. Yet it has also shown us that when we choose dialogue over discord, inclusion over alienation and justice over prejudice, our people achieve extraordinary things together,” he added.

The Governor touted his administration’s track record over the last three years as evidence of this commitment, citing equitable distribution of developmental projects across the state’s 23 local government areas. Key sectors highlighted include road infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, water supply, rural development, and social protection programs.

The nomination of Jerry Adams, who currently oversees the state’s revenue generation, signals a potential shift in the administration’s focus toward economic consolidation and fiscal expansion as it prepares for the 2027 electoral contest.

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No Sin in Politics’ Wike Says as Fubara Returns to Rainbow Coalition

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

FCT minister Nyesom Wike has welcomed the return of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to his political side, declaring the latter has corrected his mistakes.

He said this in Abuja on Tuesday after inspecting the project, alongside the ongoing construction of the service carriageways of the Southern Parkway in Gaduwa District, Abuja.

Reacting to the Rivers governor’s recent declaration about his return to the Rainbow Coalition and pledge of complete loyalty to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, Mr Wike said, “There is no sin in politics.”

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The minister further stated, “If someone realises he made a mistake and decides to correct it, there is nothing wrong with that.

“What matters is recognising that you were on the wrong path and deciding to take the right path.”

The minister, who welcomed Mr Fubara back into his political fold, insisted that the governor had “no other choice” than to return to the political family that brought him to power.

Mr Wike explained that the Rivers governor’s decision to align with his political camp publicly was a step in the right direction, adding that the reconciliation would strengthen support for Mr Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

“I said during my last media chat that he had no other choice but to return to the same political family that produced him,” Mr Wike stated.

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Aminu Magashi Donates Relief Materials to Bichi Female Rehabilitation Centre Inmates

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The Technical Adviser to the Kano State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba, has donated relief materials, including blankets, food items, and essential drugs, to inmates of the Bichi Female Rehabilitation Centre following the destruction caused by a recent rainstorm.

Dr. Magashi made the donation during a visit to the facility on Sunday, July 26, accompanied by officials of the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), led by its Executive Secretary, Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi Kubarachi.

The visit followed a heavy rainstorm that damaged parts of the rehabilitation centre, leaving several buildings in need of urgent repairs. During the inspection, Dr. Magashi interacted with staff and female inmates while assessing the extent of the destruction.

He observed that the rainstorm had blown off the roofs of several female accommodation blocks, while sections of the perimeter fence had collapsed, creating serious safety and security concerns for the facility.

In response to the situation, Dr. Magashi commended the Kano State Emergency Management Agency for its swift intervention, particularly the decision to temporarily relocate all female inmates to a dedicated and secured section within the Bichi Male Rehabilitation Centre.

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According to SEMA, the temporary relocation was undertaken to safeguard the lives and welfare of the inmates while rehabilitation and reconstruction of the damaged facility are carried out.

Dr. Magashi described the agency’s response as timely and necessary, noting that the safety and well-being of vulnerable persons in government care should remain a top priority.

He also pledged to support SEMA and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in convening a strategic stakeholders’ meeting aimed at reviewing the incident and strengthening emergency response mechanisms across rehabilitation centres in the state.

The meeting, he said, would provide an opportunity to mobilize additional support from government institutions, non-governmental organizations, and development partners to improve SEMA’s capacity in managing the 13 rehabilitation centres under its supervision.

Dr. Magashi highlighted his continued commitment to supporting humanitarian interventions across Kano State, recalling that he had previously visited six of the state’s 13 rehabilitation centres where he donated drugs and food items to inmates.

He added that he had also sponsored a one-day capacity-building training for health workers serving in the rehabilitation centres to improve healthcare delivery to inmates.

The Technical Adviser expressed appreciation to the Executive Governor of Kano State, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, for appointing him to serve in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, pledging to continue supporting initiatives that improve the welfare of vulnerable residents across the state.If you’d like, I can also make it follow the exact Nigerian Tracker house style with a stronger lead, subhead, and editor-ready formatting.

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