Dangote Cement Plc, Obajana Plant, has deepened its social footprint by distributing educational materials in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.

General Manager, Social Performance Department, Dangote Cement, Obajana Plant, Ademola Adeyemi, described it as an extension of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) schemes.

According to him, the Lokoja educational intervention came days after Dangote Cement Plc distributed similar education materials to pupils in public schools in its catchment communities of Oyo, Iwaa, Obajana and Apata; and commissioned a multi-million-naira hospital in Obajana,which added to the growing list of social investments that includes an earlier hospital project in Iwaa and Oyo Communities.

He noted that while, over the years, the company has invested billions of naira in a wide range of social programmes for host communities, including empowerment programmes, road construction, and potable water projects, it remains resolute in its commitment to sustaining and expanding its interventions.

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

A statement from the company and made available to newsmen in Lokoja said: “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 said:” 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, Head Teacher of UBE LGEA School, St. Luke Model II, Adankolo, Lokoja Local Government Area, Abubakar Sanni, expressed profound appreciation to the management of Dangote Cement Plc for the gesture.

The Head Teacher expressed gratitude to the Group President of the conglomerate, Aliko Dangote, for extending the company’s educational support programme beyond its host and impacted communities to schools located at the state headquarters.

The beneficiaries, school management, parents, and community stakeholders expressed gratitude to Dangote Cement Plc for the timely intervention and prayed for the continued growth and success of the company in its efforts to improve lives and support sustainable community development.

The North-West Development Commission is partnering Dala Orthopaedic Hospital Kano, to explore ways of making quality healthcare more affordable to patients in the country.

This was disclosed by the Managing Director (MD) of the Commission, Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji recently in Kano when he hosted the Chief Medical Director of the Dala Orthopaedic Hospital, Dr. Isa Nurudeen.

Professor Abdullahi maintained that, as an intervention agency, the Commission would carry out a needs assessment of the operational requirements of the hospital, most especially on the energy component, required to power the hospital’s sophisticated equipment, based on which the Commission would come up with a partnership framework that would support in minimising the running and maintenance cost burden on the hospital.

He expressed the hope that, by the time the Commission wades in and subsidise the operational cost, the gesture would automatically translates into reduction of service charge on respective patients.

Professor Abdullahi explained the Commission’s readiness to extend similar gesture to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Shika, Zaria; and Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto.

He observed that all the three hospitals situated within the North-West region of the country “offer their services to generality of mankind” and as such, should be supported in whichever way possible to enhance the quality of their service delivery system; and to as well make the services more accessible and affordable.

Professor Abdullahi added that training of technical personnel on equipment operation and maintenance would be another component of the partnership between the two organisations. This is to ensure that operation and maintenance challenges are immediately tackled without waiting for the manufacturers to intervene.

He expressed the believe that by the time these healthcare facilities function optimally, it would reduce the frequency of Nigerians travelling overseas on medical tourism and would in turn boost Nigerian economy.

Earlier in his submission, the Chief Medical Director of Dala Orthopaedic Hospital, Dr. Isa Nurudeen explained that the purpose of the visit was to solicit the support
and assistance of the Commission to tackle some of the operational challenges facing the hospital.

He specifically emphasised on the energy needs to power their equipment, most especially the new sophisticated MRI machine recently donated by the NNPCL.

He explained that for the machine to operate optimally, it needed to run 24 hours continuously on electricity which is costly and beyond what the hospital management could afford considering the high cost of electricity from the national grid and the prohibitive cost of diesel in the country.

He then appealed to the Commission to come in and assist in providing a sustainable alternative source of energy to power the equipment.

The North-West Development Commission was established in 2024 by Mr. President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to among others, accelerate infrastructure development and address long standing developmental gaps across the region.

In a statement by Abdulrashid Safana the Head press and public relations says the core mandate areas include security, agriculture, health, education, environment, women and youth development.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said his opposition to the alleged third-term agenda of former President Olusegun Obasanjo was driven by his commitment to Nigeria’s constitutional democracy and not personal hostility towards his former principal.

Mr Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, stated this while responding to Mr Obasanjo’s latest criticism of him.

In a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Mr Atiku said the former president’s remarks were an attempt to rewrite history and diminish his role in the administration that governed Nigeria between 1999 and 2007.

He said he received Mr Obasanjo’s comments with sadness rather than anger, arguing that the former president had allowed personal resentment to influence his account of their political relationship.

Mr Atiku said the source of Mr Obasanjo’s alleged hostility towards him was well known to Nigerians, linking it to his refusal to support the reported move to amend the Constitution to allow the former president to seek another term in office.

“I am proud that I stood against the third-term agenda. I am proud that I stood by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I have no apology whatsoever for frustrating every attempt to subvert our democracy for personal ambition,” he said.

“If Chief Obasanjo’s bitterness stems from my refusal to support an unconstitutional third term, then I wear that resentment as a badge of honour. No individual, regardless of his status or accomplishments, is bigger than the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The Constitution is supreme, and I chose Nigeria over personal loyalty.”

The former vice president said the resistance to the third-term agenda was not a personal battle between him and Mr Obasanjo but a struggle to preserve Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.

“The Nigerian people won that battle. Democracy won that battle. History has already delivered its verdict,” he said.

Mr Atiku said it was unfortunate that Mr Obasanjo, whose alleged ambition was resisted, was now criticising those who defended the Constitution.

He also referred to recent comments by the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who, according to him, praised the economic management team of the Obasanjo administration and described it as the best Nigeria had produced.

Mr Atiku said the timing of the comments, coming shortly before Mr Obasanjo’s latest criticism, was for Nigerians to interpret.

“Whether or not the timing is merely coincidental is for Nigerians to judge. What is beyond dispute, however, is that while distinguished Nigerians who served at the highest levels continue to acknowledge my contributions to one of Nigeria’s most successful periods of economic management, Chief Obasanjo appears determined to diminish them,” he said.

“Chief Obasanjo may choose not to appreciate my role in building one of Nigeria’s most prosperous economic eras, but history has been far kinder. The record speaks for itself, and so do the testimonies of those who worked closely with that administration.”

Mr Atiku also recalled his relationship with Mr Obasanjo before the latter became president in 1999, claiming that he supported the former military ruler during his period of incarceration and contributed to his political return.

“History records that while Chief Obasanjo was in prison, I stood firmly by him. I supported his family, worked tirelessly with other patriots for his release and never wavered in my belief that he deserved his freedom,” he said.

“When he eventually regained his freedom, he had little to his name. I received him, clothed him, ensured he was properly cared for and extended every support necessary to help him regain his footing.

“Beyond that, I mobilised political structures, built alliances and made enormous personal and political sacrifices that culminated in his emergence as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Mr Atiku said he had no regrets over his support for Mr Obasanjo, adding that acts of kindness should not be undertaken with the expectation of repayment.

“Do I regret helping Chief Obasanjo? Absolutely not. When God gives you the opportunity to lift another human being, you do so without expecting repayment.”