CSR News Summary Issue 23

CPC to partner NOA in capacity building

The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) in Abuja on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) for partnership to build capacity to protect consumers.

According to Ify Umeyi, the Director – General of CPC, the partnership is to ensure successful implementation of the CPC’s Products Monitoring and Registration Programme.

Published in BusinessDay Newspaper, on Monday, 9th July 2012

Dufil to partner with states on crop plantation

In line with the backward integration of the Federal Government, De United Foods Industries Limited, makers of Indomie Noodles have started talks with some state governments for plantation of palm trees and other crops for its multi-million Naira Seasoning plant at Ota in Ogun State. he negotiation with the states, mostly southern states, BusinessDay gathered is in furtherance of its attempt to achieve 100 percent of locally sourced material for the production of its product.

The company presently has up to 45 percent locally sourced material and the expansion to its Seasoning manufacturing factory in Ota is part of its objectives towards the full local content production of its noodles brand in Nigeria.

The establishment of the automated factory which operates 24 hours with about 200 staff has saved the company huge sums of money in the importation of materials for the ingredient for its noodles, the Public Relations manager of the company, Tope Ashiwaju said during media tour of the factory in Ota.

Published in BusinessDay Newspaper, on Monday, 9th July 2012

Zinox donates Toyota Hilux to Lagos security fund

Zinox Technologies Limited, on Friday, donated four Toyota Hilux security panel vans to the Lagos State Security Trust Fund as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts to help beef up secure lives and properties in the commercial city.

The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, who received the keys to the vehicles at the open grounds of Lagos House, enjoined the officers and men who are the beneficiaries must continue to use them for the purpose they were donated. He advised the all security personnels in the state to always remember that the citizens, who provide the taxes and also the vehicles in some cases, should be protected not brutalise.

Fashola thanked Zinox Group for identifying with the security challenges and security successes of the state, adding that the gesture by Zinox group is not only entrepreneurship at its best but also a deep sense of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by the organization which is not only taxpaying but employing the people.

Published in BusinessDay Newspaper, on Monday, 9th July 2012

Berger Paints CSR project targets infrastructure development in schools

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, Berger Paints Nigeria plc now targets infrastructure in schools. Recently, the first indigenous and one of the leading paint manufacturers in Nigeria donated paint to Handsmaid International Primary School, Ibiade, Ogun State for the beautification of its premises.

Berger Paints believes that this is in line with the company’s mission of remaining an active and responsible corporate member in the business community while also contributing to Nigeria’s economic and social development.

Tor Nygard, acting managing director, Berger Paints Nigeria Plc said the company embarked on the beautification project to demonstrate her commitment to quality education for the Nigerian child.

Published in BusinessDay Newspaper, on Monday, 9th July 2012

World Bank pledges supports for Anambra State

World Bank’s Senior Specialist on education, Mr Tunde Adekola and two professors from Oxford University have been commissioned to undertake an educational study for World Bank, Prof. Clare Leaver and Prof. Andrew Zeitlin, have pledged their support for education development in Anambra State.

The team and the state Governor, Mr Peter Obi came to understudy the educational process in Anambra State with a view of recommending it to other schools in Africa, said the state was increasing its efforts in the education sector

Published in Daily Sun Newspaper, on Tuesday, 10th July 2012

FG Sets Up N200bn SME Guarantee Fund

The Federal Government has announced that the much expected N200 billion small and medium enterprises credit guarantee scheme (SMECGS) fund is now available.

The Minister of State for Finance, Dr Yerima Ngama, who disclosed this in Abuja yesterday, however said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other relevant agencies of government would have to come out with the eligibility criteria for applying institutions.

Ngama who spoke during the second Annual Lecture Series of the National Association of Microfinance Banks (NAMB), Abuja Chapter, said that both the SMECGS and the Microfinance Development Fund (MDF) have been established but added that the drawing rights would be based on the viability of the applying institutions.

“I am aware that participants are eager to hear and obtain my commitment on behalf of government on when it will make the development funds and the N200 billion small and medium enterprises credit guarantee scheme established for the subsector available to eligible institutions.

Published in Leadership Newspaper on Tuesday, 10th July 2012

Lagos State guarantees more infrastructural development

The Lagos State Government has assured residents, stakeholders and prospective investors of its determination to grow the economy and develop infrastructures in the state as the present administration continues with the corroboration of its achievements.

Speaking in Lagos at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Lagos State N50 billion fixed rate bond series I and II, which was held by the state’s Debt Management Office, the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Adetokunbo Abiru said that the present administration would not relent on delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of the state “since the reward of hard work is more work.”

Abiru explained the commitment of the Lagos State Government to utilise the state’s huge Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to the benefit of the masses and investors. “We have on our part as a responsible government, ensured the proceeds from bond are invested into critical infrastructure that can guarantee the expansion of the state’s economic base,” he added.

He stressed that the amount of money allocated to infrastructural development had been adequately appropriated noting that the state’s infrastructure had developed and the people of the state could testify to the fact.

Published in Guardian Newspaper on Wednesday, 10th July 2012

AFC, AfDB back Cote d’Ivoire’s 270 million euros bridge project

AFRICA Finance Corporation (AFC), in conjunction with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, has concluded the 270 million euros financing of the flagship bridge infrastructure project in Côte d’Ivoire.

The project involves the design, construction, financing, commissioning and operation of a third bridge with three lanes in each direction, across the Ebrié lagoon, connecting Abidjan’s residential Riviera district directly with the commercial district of Marcory.

AFC and the AfDB acted as mandated lead arrangers to the subordinated and senior facilities, respectively, to a syndicate of seven international lenders. AFC provided an aggregate commitment of 40 million euros comprising senior and junior loan facilities, and an equity investment.

Published in Guardian Newspaper on Wednesday, 11th July 2012

Nigeria, Pakistan to seal pact on SMEs’ development

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) may soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) of Pakistan in areas of cluster development and capacity building for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

The development is a fallout of the recent D-8 Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Working Group meeting held in Abuja recently. The partnership, which is being facilitated by the Pakistani High Commission in Nigeria, is in the spirit of the D-8 Group’s objective to diversify and create new opportunities in trade relations.

The Pakistani Acting High Commissioner in Nigeria, Ahmed Ali Sirohey explained that the pact would also afford both agencies the opportunity to cross fertilize and interface on areas that would be beneficial to SMEs in both countries.

At a courtesy call on the Sirohey in Abuja, the Director- General of SMEDAN, Alhaji Muhammad Nadada Umar, expressed delight that the Pakistani Government had really lived up to expectations in the area of developing the SME sector in his country, adding that Nigeria has a lot to learn from the experience of the Asian country.

Published in Guardian Newspaper on Thursday, 12th July 2012

Yobe gives schools 58 buses

Yobe State government has distributed 58 vehicles worth N495m to secondary schools. It has also earmarked a monthly overhead maintenance cost of N23,000 each for the fleet of vehicles

The distribution of the vehicles was part of the state government’s measures to solve the problem of transportation in the schools

Published in The Nation Newspaper on Thursday, 12th July 2012

ECOWAS, NEPAD seal pact on €1m capacity building facility for women

The Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) and the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) have signed an agreement for the establishment of a €1 million Business Incubator for African Women Entrepreneurs (BIAWE) in the sub-region.

The facility was provided by Spain.

According to the Chairman of ECOWAS Commission, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, while speaking at the agreement signing ceremony at the African Union (AU) Secretariat in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the project is aimed at eradicating poverty and contributing to economic empowerment of women.

The business incubator project, he added, also seeks to provide capacity building, technical assistance and financial support to emerging rural women entrepreneurs, who face constraints that make it difficult to sustain their businesses.

Published in Guardian Newspaper on Friday, 13th July 2012

FG approves N330m grants for Lagos farmers

As Fashola inaugurate 60 air-conditioned meat vans, co-operative college
THE Federal Government has approved N330 million grants to assist 20,000 farmers in Lagos State, a measure geared towards increasing food production in the country.

Meanwhile, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has inaugurated the first co-operative college and 60 refrigerated meat vans to convey wholesome meat from abattoirs to different areas in the state.

Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Adewunmi Adeshina who disclosed this at the flag-off of the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme, GESS, said the fund would be devoted to acquire fertilizers for the farmers.

Adeshina added that the fund would cover 50 per cent of the cost that would be spent by farmers on fertilizer in the state. He explained that the cost of fertilizer and seed valued at N36,000 would be given to farmers with the farmer paying N18,000.

Published in Vanguard Newspaper on Friday, 13th July 2012

Ekiti council chief provides tools for farmers

The Caretaker Chairman of Moba Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Hon. David Olusoga, has enhanced food production in the council by providing various agricultural implements and aids to individual farmers and groups in the area.

The items included 6 water pumping machines, 300 knap-sack sprayers and 300 units of assorted herbicides.

Published in The Nation Newspaper on Friday, 13^th July 2012