Dangote Cement Plc and the Lagos State government yesterday, strengthened further their public-private partnership to make the state more investor friendly with the donation of 35 fully equipped security operational cars by the Company to the state government.
Presenting the cars to the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, non-executive director of Dangote Cement, Mr Emmanuel Ikhazobor, who led the management of the firm, said the gesture was part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities.
He said this was done in appreciation of the efforts of the state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu to make the Lagos secure for the people and a destination of choice to investors.
He said that security is essential to economic development and remains one of the major demands of investors.
Ikhazobor, stated that the company decided to support the Lagos State Security Trust Fund because it was in direct response to the security challenges in the state such as logistics, mobility, communications and kitting.
“The donation of operational vehicles today is in continuation of our commitment to ensure the security of lives and property in Lagos State. It should be recalled that our chairman, Aliko Dangote made donations to the Fund in the past. As a socially responsible organiation, the security and well-being of our host communities remains utmost in our minds.
“Therefore, a major step towards encouraging investments and creating employment is promoting and ensuring adequate security in our environments. This is why we at Dangote Cement, fully appreciate several initiatives by the state government in the promotion of security and a safe operating environment for business”, he stated
He maintained that Dangote Cement management was of the firm belief that government alone cannot continue to bear the full cost of meeting the expectations of the entire populace in the provision of basic necessities like health, education and security for the citizenry, and this gave rise to Public Private Partnerships, where private sector collaborates with public sector in the provision of essential services.
Receiving the car keys, the executive secretary of the Fund, Dr Abdulrrazak Balogun described the donation as a huge intervention from a private sector organisation to solve critical challenges of logistics and mobility faced by the security personnel in the state.
He expressed the appreciation of the state governor to the gesture and promised that the vehicles would be put to good use. He urged other corporate bodies to emulate the gesture by Dangote Cement and help in strengthening security in the state.