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By Emmanuel Adeleke
In order to boost employment in the country, Dangote Cement Plc has inducted 81 trainees in its Graduate Trainee programme.
Recall that the company, since the beginning of the programme, has inducted hundreds of trainees into its employment, across its African operations.
Also, the company rewarded its outstanding staff with ‘long Service Award’ and ‘Hall of Wall of Fame Employee Award,’ for embracing the Dangote Cement core values of customer care, entrepreneurship, excellence and leadership quality. The staff that were awarded, with significant monetary value, has spent a minimum of five years in the employment of Dangote Cement.
Speaking at the programme held in Lagos to celebrate the long service winners, Hall of Fame awardees and graduate trainees, the chairman of Dangote Cement, Aliko Dangote, said the event was to honour and appreciate distinguished staff in the outgoing year 2023.
“We are honouring some of our staff for their long service to the company. We are also celebrating our graduate trainees who are officially rounding up their induction programme.
“We are celebrating them for the tremendous progress the company recorded in 2023. Despite the harsh operating environment and economic turbulence, your resilience and tenacity ensured that we surmounted many obstacles to achieve goals.
“More importantly, I would like to thank all of you for your commitment and high performance. It is your commitment that has helped us to retain our position as the dominant player in the cement sector in Nigeria, not only in Nigeria but in Africa.
“We have remained Africa’s leading cement producer with 52 million metric tonnes capacity per annum across the continent. We also have plans underway to commission our Cote d’Ivoire plants and work started for another six million tonnes in Itori, Ogun State.
“Through shared persistence, we have eliminated Nigerians’ independence on imported cement and transformed our nation into an exporter of cement to several neighbouring countries. This same development will be repeated in the energy sector as our petrochemical refinery becomes fully operational in the next few months,” Dangote said.
He added that the group is focused on breaking new ground with innovations and strategies that will drive businesses while at the same time creating value for its stakeholders.
Group managing director of Dangote Cement, Mr Arvind Pathak, said the dedication and loyalty of the company’s long-serving employees, the achievements of talented graduate trainees and the Hall of Fame awardees, have displayed passion, innovation and excellence in service delivery.
He stated that the event is to recognise and honour the unwavering commitment the staff have demonstrated over the years.
“Your dedication has been the cornerstone of our success, and it is the testimony of your hard work, resilience, and loyalty. Your journey with us is a testament to the values that bind us, and we look forward to many more of shared success,” he said.
Pathak applauded the outstanding achievements of the current employees who received Hall of Fame awards, noting that their hard work, innovation and commitment to excellence have not gone unnoticed as their colleagues have attested to it by nominating them.
He also congratulated the graduate trainees who have completed a rigorous training programme that has equipped them with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the company.
“As you move forward in your career, remember that this is just a beginning; the road ahead may be challenging, but I have full confidence that each one of you will contribute significantly to the future success of the company. Continue to embrace your opportunity to learn, grow and make a positive impact on the Dangote Cement plants.
“As a learning organization, we also continue to provide numerous development opportunities to enhance the capabilities of our people, including professional certifications and mentorship schemes. our success is a collective effort and each one of us plays a vital role in our journey to remain the leader in the cement industry and build a sustainable future for Africa,” he said.
The group Chief Human Resources Officer, Dangote Cement, Gloria Byamugisha, said the company is operationalizing the employee value proposition, where it reward, recognise progress effort and values, but most importantly, emulating humanity and an entrepreneurial spirit.