By Francis Ajuonuma
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has hailed Dangote Sugar Refinery’s huge investment in the Federal Government’s Sugar Backward Integration Policy (BIP), describing its’ enormous job-creation potential.
NDE’s Director-General, Silas Agara, commended the company’s Chairman, Aliko Dangote, during his visit to the Dangote Group pavilion at the ongoing Kano International Trade Fair.
He said Dangote’s commitment to the BIP and to achieving sugar sufficiency in Nigeria is unparalleled and worthy of emulation.
So far, Dangote Sugar has committed over $700m to the BIP to stem the national annual sugar import of over $337m.
This will ensure Nigeria attains national sugar self-sufficiency, which will, in turn, revolutionise the nation’s economy as other people-oriented infrastructures would come with the sugar projects being undertaken under the BIP.
Agara, a former deputy governor of Nasarawa State, said Dangote’s commitment is critical for the development of the sugar industry in Nigeria.
He noted, “Dangote Sugar in Tunga in Awe Local Government of Nasarawa State is commendable for improving the Communities in Tunga. It has created job opportunities for the teaming youth and improved livelihoods.
“Nasarawa is proud of Aliko Dangote. Tunga Sugar is a spinner for Nigeria’s economy,” the NDE boss declared while urging the business mogul to step up community advocacy and more collaboration with stakeholders to drive more remarkable positive change in the Communities.
He noted, however, “There isn’t any dissenting voice on Tunga sugar, and the communities have enjoyed growth and development through the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies” but called for more CSR projects.
It would be recalled that the members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly recently paid a visit to the Dangote Sugar Tunga BIP project, which they described as a blessing to the state, given its vast expanse.
The Dangote Sugar Master Plan and the Company’s commitment to the sugar projects in Tunga, Awe local Government of Nasarawa, and Numan, in Adamawa State, have scaled up the drive towards realization of the National Sugar objectives.
Dangote Sugar Refinery recently unveiled plans to produce 700,000 metric tonnes of refined sugar from locally grown sugarcane in the next four years through its Backward Integrated Programme (BIP).
The company’s chairman said during the Annual General Meeting of Dangote Sugar that management was focused on achieving the revised targets set for DSR Numan operations, Dangote Adamawa Sugar Limited, and Nasarawa Sugar Company Limited.
Dangote then expressed the hope “that the Dangote Taraba Sugar Limited, Lau/Tau project would also come on stream soon.
Nigeria is one of sub-Saharan Africa’s largest importers of sugar, second only to South Africa, but the Dangote Sugar management assured that by the time the Company fully completes its sugar projects in Nasarawa and Adamawa under the BIP, the nation would be saved of more than half of the forex expended on sugar imports annually.
