BAT Nigeria's foundation has given a building to a local community.
As part of its corporate social responsibility, British/America Tobacco Company of Nigeria (BATN) in collaboration with FADAMA III, has donated a cassava processing cottage industry to Obazagbon Community in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo state.
The project, worth several millions of naira, is the second of its kind in the state donated by BATN Foundation in Nigeria.
Handing the cottage industry to the community dwellers, the chairman board of director of BATN Dr. Christopher Kolade, who was represented by the executive director BATN Foundation, Mr. Gbenga Ibikunle, said the foundation was established in 2002 with an aim to improve the quality of life of citizens in rural and urban areas of Nigeria.
This, according to him, is to be done through the implementation of various community development projects in four focal areas: sustainable agricultural development, sustainable potable water supply, sustainable environment protection and sustainable educational development.
The focused areas, according to him, would also support the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations and the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS).
He said their choice of Obazabgon village in Edo state came as a result of a series of discussions that they had with the state coordinator of FADAMA III and his team, who use their good office to facilitate the delivery of the project for the inhabitants.
“The projected is constructed and donated to this community by BATN Foundation. This foundation is a separate independent company from BATN while BATN is the sole sponsor of all the activities across the 36 states in Nigeria and FGT”.
“We chose the states we are working and Edo state is one this year 2012 in conjunction with the FADAMA III projects and looking at what they are doing already we have to join hands with them to improve the lives our farmers and growers of cassava by this we are taking their production to a higher level and improve their marketability thereby giving economic power”.
He said with FADAMA on ground, the cottage industry would be supervised.
Speaking earlier on behalf of the community, the development association chairman, Mr. Friday Igbinovia, thanked the BATN and FADAMA III for the project and urged the government to deploy teachers to their school which currently has only one teacher.
“A four classroom block self help built in 1937 has been blown off by storm in April this year and all representations has been made to both state and local government ministry of education, up till now no response. Besides, only teacher is functioning in the school since then none of them has resumed leaving only one teacher to function. We therefore appeal to you (Edo State government) sir to come to our aid in these regard,” he added.
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