Dangote Sugar, hosts communities foster ties

By Etuka Sunday

The Dangote Sugar Plc is bolstering its ties with the host communities of the Savannah Sugar Company Limited (SSCL), Numan, Adamawa State.
The Dangote team was led by the Executive Director Backward Integration Project (BIP) Dangote Sugar Refinery (DSR), Hajiya Maria Aliko Dangote.
Other members of the Dangote team are: Acting GMD (DSR) Mr. Ravindra Sighvi , Acting Chief Executive (SSCL), Mr. J.S. Cheema, General Manager, Government & Strategic Relations (DIL), Mallam Bello Dan-Musa , General Manager HR (DSR), Alh. Hassan Lawal, and Chief Analyst (DSR), Muslim Abubakar, among other top management of SSCL.
The visiting team from Dangote held meetings with the traditional leaders of Bachama, Shelleng and Guyuk, as well as youth representatives.
Speaking Hajiya Mariya Aliko Dangote said the company was desirous of growing the existing relations, even as she registered the condolences of the Group President Alhaji Aliko Dangote over the death of the late Bachama.
General Manager, Government & Strategic Relations Dangote Industry Limited (DIL) told the representatives of the communities that even though the company has been recording losses and should have discontinued its CSR, but due his magnanimity, the Group President had ordered for a sustained community development strides.
“The President has directed us to develop a trust based relationship that will reinforce peace and stability. We are also expanding our cane plantation astronomically. This will bring about more job opportunities for the host communities,” he said.
Community leaders described the refreshed strides as fruitful.
Responding, the Hama Bachama Dr Daniel Shaga Ismaila commended the Dangote Group and expressed the readiness of the communities to support and protect the investment of the Dangote Sugar Plc, adding that it was time to build peace and development to make SSCL a profitable venture.
Speaking at a separate meeting between Dangote Sugar representatives and the Youths, Youth Leader, Alfred Gyawane said the meeting provided the opportunity to collaborate and move forward, while describing it as ‘very fruitful.’
He commended Alhaji Aliko Dangote for the new move in scaling up Dangote-community relation, and deepening the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme.
It would be recalled that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Chief Adeniyi Adebayo, who toured the expansive Savannah Sugar Company (SSCL) Ltd in Numan earlier in the year, had expressed the optimism that Nigeria looks good to becoming self-sufficient in sugar production.