No fewer than 40 residents of Iwaa, Oyo, Obajana and Apata communities in Kogi State have completed a training programme on fish farming and entrepreneurship.
This is an initiative of the Obajana plant of Dangote Cement Plc designed to empower inhabitants of its host communities.
This scheme builds on a series of previous community empowerment programmes, including training in poultry production, solar entrepreneurship, and fashion design, among others.
At the graduation ceremony witnessed by representatives of the federal government, the Kogi State Government, and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), as well as traditional rulers and other key stakeholders, the Plant Director, Mr Azad Nawabuddin, described the skills acquisition programme as a strategic scheme aimed at promoting job creation and driving overall economic development within the host communities.
“In learning the art and business of fish farming, you have embraced a cycle of life that teaches responsibility. You nurture, you wait, you adapt, and in time, you harvest. This mirrors the journey of community development itself: it is not built in a day, but through consistent effort, shared knowledge, and collective commitment,” he stated.
According to him, fish farming does not stand alone. It creates ripples by providing food for families, income for households, and opportunities for others.
“One fishpond can support a network: feed suppliers, transporters, market women, and processors. In this way, what begins as an individual skill becomes a communal asset,” he added.
Also commenting, the General Manager and Head of the Social Performance Department at Dangote Cement in Obajana, Mr Ademola Adeyemi, said the event was part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme of the company.
“We don’t Lord ourself on the communities. We jointly agree to carry out this CSR programme. We invest proactively in skills, in people, and in ideas that can uplift communities. Through partnerships like the one we have with the Industrial Training Fund, we ensure that our interventions are not just well-intentioned, but impactful and sustainable,” he disclosed.
A representative of the Technical Adviser on CSR to the Kogi State Governor, Mr Akinola Oluropo Babatunde, commended Aliko Dangote for his support for communities in Kogi State.
He urged beneficiaries to make proper use of the opportunity and have a positive impact on their communities.