The House of Representatives and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have commended Dangote Coal Mines Limited for supporting the government through its multi-million Naira social schemes and for adopting innovations that have remarkably reduced the rate of auto crashes in the country.
Speaking at an interaction session involving the company’s host community’s leaders and youths of Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Safety Commission, Hon Akinfolarin Mayowa Samuel, said the Dangote Group had been a big player and major contributor to the nation’s economy.
While affirming the job-creating initiatives of the company, the lawmaker said there was a need for the company and the host communities to collaborate through the implementation of the mutually-consented Community Development Agreement (CDA).
In his remarks at the forum, a representative of the FRSC, Deputy Corps Marshal, Kayode Fanola, commended the Dangote Group for introducing measures that have helped crash the rate of accidents in the country.
Fanola said: “I can tell you that we have inspected the facilities at the Dangote Drivers School at Obajana, and they met our standard.”
Similarly, a representative of Dangote Transport, Mr. Charles Theophilus, said the FRSC officials were involved in training the company’s drivers.
It would be recalled that early this year, the Dangote Cement Plc established a well-equipped a Drivers School at Obajana to enhance their knowledge on trafiic and other regulations.
A representative of the host community and youth leader, Mr. Samuel Ibrahim, told the lawmakers that the company was implementing the Community Development Agreement signed in July 2019, adding that the implementation f the CDA has improved the social and economic situation of the community people.
He listed the solar-powered boreholes, bridge and road construction, and the construction of blocks of classrooms and a clinic as some of the projects implemented by the company at the Awo Akpali community.
The Leader of the Dangote delegation to the interactive session, Alhaji Taslim Jimoh, pointed out that the company remained a law-abiding company, adding that compensation has been paid just as other requirements needed for coal mining have been met.
Also, the company’s Head of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), Mrs. Ebere Okonkwo, said the company was reviewing its recruitment process and certification of drivers in collaboration with FRSC as part of its job creation interventions.
