By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto
BUA cement plc Tuesday gave schorlaship of 200, 000 each to 200 benefiting students from their business host States of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara.
Aaccording to BUA’s Director Admin and Corporate Affairs, Muhammed Sada
the idea of the scholarship which started since 2018-2019 was aimed at
complimenting the efforts of the government and also create future workforce for the company.
Earlier in his welcome address, BUA’s
Head of Department, Health, Community, Safety and Enviroment (HCSE), Engr. Aliyu Gumel said the aim is to provide support for students from the host States to enable them pursue their academic dreams in order for them to contribute to the development of not just their respective communities but State and nation at large.
The Plant Director Engr. Aminu Bashir speaking on behalf of the Managing Director/Chief Exexutive Officer (MD/CEO) said they are highly honoured to have the beneficiaries present to graciously accept their giving back gesture.
Continuing, the Engr. Binji said the management have uplifted the schorlaship from the initial 100,000 naira per student to 200,000 and also increased the number from 100 to 200 students.
According to him, the beneficiaries were drawn from the States of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara, adding they were lucky to have been selected from amongst many, hence should consider themselves as worthy ambassadors of the company in their respective schools.
In his advise to the beneficiaries, Engr. Binji urged them to ensure that they utilize the scholarship judiciously, adding BUA had 50 students that are already benefiting from the scholarship, hence adding additional 200 year.
Clarifying on the allocation, BUA said, 50 each from the States of Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto while additional 50 goes to Wamakko local government area being the immediate host community.
“The selection process was vregorious and very transparently done based on the criteria set by the management and verification process”
Speaking onbehalf of the beneficiaries from Zamfara State, the Executive Secretary Zamfara State Scholarship Board, Professor Rashida Usman thanked BUA for the giant gesture, just as she urged other well meaning northerners and business tycons to emulate the cement company.
In the same vein, the Kebbi State Director Student Affairs, Yusuf Abubakar said BUA’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility assured that the scholarship is a call to more commitment to education from the entire beneficiaries.
On his part, Sokoto State Special Adviser Corporative and Corporate Social Responsibility Agency, Hon. Usman Arzika Fako said educational empowernment remained one of the surest way to having a sustainably development society.
The District Head (Ubandoma) of Arkila, Aliyu Hassan said they are very satisfied with the respect for humanity and business mentality of BUA since buying over Sokoto Cement.
He however appealed for more engagement of locals as staff of the company, adding, 50 percent of the workforce should be considered exclusively for the host communties including Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States.
Bilkisu Bello Mohammed one of the beneficiaries from Kebbi State said BUA stands for hope for the future generation in view of their contribution to national growth.
From Zamfara State, another beneficiary Umar Bello Kaura said any assistance towards education is an investment that will never go unmentioned. He further noted that, they will forever remain grateful to BUA even as he assured the will be good ambassadors of their respective families, States and Nigeria to make BUA proud.
