The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lafarge

  • Rivers youths protest alleged marginalisation by Lafarge

    Rivers youths protest alleged marginalisation by Lafarge

    No fewer than 500 youths from Akamkpa and Akpabuyo Local Government Areas of Cross River on Monday protested against alleged marginalisation by Lafarge Holcim Cement Company in contract award and employment.

    Youths from the communities hosting the cement company decried the company’s inability to implement the 80 per cent local content agreement it entered with the host communities.

    NAN reports that Lafarge Holcim is hosted by six communities under Akamkpa and Akpabuyo LGAs.

    They were armed with placards of various inscriptions which read: “Give us employment and contracts; “We want the position of Human Resource Manager to come from the host communities’’.

    Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved youths, Mr Bassey Effiong, Youth Leader from Akansoko Community, said that the company’s marginalisation had rendered many youths in the area jobless.

    Effiong said that they had written many letters to the company to consider them for employment and award of contracts, which he said, yielded no result.

    “We have graduates and technicians who are willing to do this job, but Lafarge prefers to bring people from outside to work in the company.

    “We want the office to be brought back to Calabar from Lagos, and they should stop giving us excuses that we don’t have the technical know-how to work with them.

    “All we are saying is that we need employment and contracts for our youths.

    “The company should implement the 80 per cent local content agreement we entered with it,’’ the youths spokesperson said.

    Also, Mr Ojong Etta, Youth Leader from Mbobui Community in Akamkpa LGA, said that youths were only employed to do `labour jobs’, while the executive positions were allotted to non-indigenes.

    “We want the Human Resource Manager of Lafarge Cement Company to be an indigene of the host communities.

    “We have been over marginalised in terms of employment and award of contracts. We need a change of things in the management of Lafarge Company,’’ he said.

    In his remarks, the traditional ruler of Akamkpa, Ntufam Clement Emayip, said that it was wrong to relocate the company’s head office from Calabar to Lagos.

    Emayip urged the company to consider youths from the host communities for employment and award of contracts.

    Addressing newsmen after the protest, Mrs Folashade Ambrose, the Lafarge Director of Communication and Public Affairs, said that the company appreciated the existing relationship between the host communities and Lafarge.

    “I have heard all their complaints. I will take their messages back to the management of the company, and we will get back to the host communities soon,’’ she said.

  • Lafarge, Foundation renovate classrooms

    Lafarge, Foundation renovate classrooms

    As part of fulfilling its corporate social responsibility to its host community, Lafarge Africa Plc in collaboration with the Care Foundation at the weekend renovated a few dilapidated classrooms at the Anglican Nursery and Primary School, Oke-Oyingbo area of Ikorodu, in Lagos.

    The firm also donated some building materials such as bags of cement, paints, shovels and hand gloves to the contractors.

    Addressing news men, Head of Sustainability and Corporate Brand, Lafarge Africa Plc, Temitope Oguntokun noted that the gesture was done to support government in providing enabling learning environment for primary schools pupils in the country.

    While noting that although the current socio economic challenges of the country has affected many corporate organisations’ CSR,  she however  assured that Lafarge as an organisation will continuously  support the educational development of the Nigerian youths.

    “We at Lafarge believe in the educational development of the Nigerian youth and that is why we are here as part of our corporate social responsibility to contribute to the educational development in our community. Apart from taking out part of our working hour to work with the contractors on the site, we have also donated building materials such as bags of cement, shovels, hand gloves to the workers,” she said.

    Echoing similar sentiments, the representative of Ikorodu Federal Constituency and founder of Care Foundation, Hon. Babajimi Benson noted that the gesture is in accordance with the Federal Government ‘Change Begins with Me Campaign.’ “This is what has necessitated the need to change the state of some infrastructural facilities in our public schools. It will be better if the beneficiaries of the project make judicious use of the facilities.”

    Responding to the gesture the Head Mistress of the school, Mrs. Florence Awoyemi commended the Lafarge Africa Plc and Care Foundation for the laudable project.

     

  • Undergraduates to participate in Lafarge yearly award

    Nigerian undergraduates and youths between 18 and 30, who are endowed with innovative and sustainable project ideas, are eligible to participate in the fifth international LafargeHolcim award.

    Lafarge Director of Aggregate and Concrete, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Laren Zanin, made this known at a one-day workshop organised in Lagos to sensitise and mobilise stakeholders in the construction and building industry to participate in the award.

    Zanin described the award as the “most significant project competition in sustainable construction”, noting that it reinforces Lafarge’s commitment towards ensuring net positive contribution to society and nature. He explained that the workshop was meant to share not only the value with stakeholders, but also ensure that their efforts in sustainable construction earns a deserving global recognition.

    The firm’s boss noted that the workshop was in accordance with the company’s vision of building a stronger Nigeria, safely, ethically and sustainably through innovative construction solutions.

    “We are ensuring this by creating an opportunity for Nigerians in the construction industry to participate in this award and leave a significant mark that will turn them into leaders and models for other countries,” Zanin said.

    Speaking to the participants, Lafarge Head, Sustainability and Corporate Brand, Mrs Temitope Oguntokun said the project ideas must showcase innovations which are at the cutting edge of sustainable construction, provide advanced response in terms of environmental and ethical performance, social responsibility, preservation of natural resources, economic growth, and a lasting aesthetic impact on the surrounding environment.

    She noted that efforts were being made to disseminate information about the award to more stakeholders in the building sector including undergraduates.

    In his remarks, a Higher National Diploma student of the Department of Architecture, Yaba College of Technology, Oscar Ernest, said the workshop has not only motivated his colleagues to develop interest in the award, but has also opened their minds to the use of eco-efficient materials in the construction of buildings.

    “It is a welcome development for me and my colleagues here today. This workshop has opened our minds to the fact that we need to use eco efficient materials in the construction of buildings.”

  • Lafarge Africa tantalises professionals with $2m contest

    Lafarge Africa Plc, a subsidiary of LafargeHolcim, is mobilising professionals in Nigeria’s building and construction sector, as well as students to participate in the 5th International LafargeHolcim Awards. The programme is aimed at seeking smart solutions for cities and the built environment.

    The Group Managing Director/CEO, Lafarge Africa Plc, Michel Puchercos, said for the first time after the firm’s global merger, and as a demonstration of its belief in the country’s professionals’ competence and ability to compete with their counterparts across the globe, the company would be showcasing Nigeria’s professionals and students in the $2 million competition, adding that the competition is also in furtherance of the company’s vision to build a stronger Nigeria, safely, ethically and sustainably through innovative construction solutions.

    He enjoined all eligible engineers, architects, builders, planners, construction firms, project owners, students and non governmental organisations (NGOs) to avail themselves of the opportunity to make a mark in the global construction space, while assuring that there will be more engagements with the target audience in the next few weeks.

    The competition, organised by the LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, identifies the ideas with the highest potential to tackle today’s challenges, to increasing urbanisation and improve quality of life. Projects and concepts from the fields of architecture, landscape, architecture, urban design, planning, technology, and civil and materials engineering are eligible to be featured.

    The main category is for professionals, construction firms and NGOs that showcase sustainable responses to technological, environmental, socio-economic and cultural issues within contemporary building and construction. Besides, participants up to the age of 30 can also submit visionary concepts and bold ideas in the competition, irrespective of the probability of actual implementation of the project: ‘the Next Generation category specifically seeks “blue-sky” solutions by students and young professionals’.

    The competition holds in the five geographic regions where LafargeHolcim operates – Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America, and Middle East Afica –The winners will be announced in the second half of 2017. Winners automatically qualify for the global Awards competition in 2018.

    Entry for the competition, which opened on Monday July 4 closes for submissions in March next year.

  • Manufacturing: Lafarge, Access Bank partner to bridge gender gap

    Access Bank’s ‘W Initiative’, in collaboration with Lafarge Africa Plc, during the week organised a workshop with some of Nigeria’s leading women professionals in manufacturing to discuss gender disparity in the manufacturing sector.

    The workshop, which was attended by a large number of women executives and senior managers in the manufacturing sector, according to its organisers, demonstrated the conviction that women in manufacturing is good for business.

    Among others, the workshop examined the reasons for the unattractiveness of the sector to women, creating innovative solutions specifically targeted at professional women in manufacturing, and increasing the number of women who work in the manufacturing industry.

    Setting the tone for discussions, Access Bank’s Executive Director Elias Igbin-Akenzua said “approximately 600,000 manufacturing jobs are unfilled because companies can’t find qualified workers to fill them.

    “Women are critical to filling this gap and we must empower them to do so. We must also reduce the barriers for women in manufacturing in accessing funds from financial institutions for those who may want to transit from employees to manufacturing business owners”

    In her address to the gathering, Managing Director, Geocycle, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo, remarked that women represent manufacturing’s largest pool of untapped talent and the dearth of women in manufacturing has been made more prominent recently, due to the potential skills shortage facing the industry.

    Mrs. Adebajo identified Nigeria’s formal education system as the most powerful agency of change from which several intelligent and confident women who now challenge many aspects of patriarchy in all leading occupations have emerged.

    While urging for support, coaching and encouragement for more women to be successfully recruited and retained in manufacturing, she stated that “women have become leading industry players in different sectors, which were for long the preserve of men – including manufacturing.

    “The industry needs to send out the right message that women can, and do succeed in manufacturing careers,” Adebajo said.

    Victoria Ibhawa of Deloitte provided valuable research and data, while other notable speakers at the workshop touched on the existing dearth of women professionals in the sector, the challenges they face and propositions on the way forward.

    This workshop is expected to culminate in the launching of a ‘think tank’ group providing advice and ideas on attracting, retaining and advancing women in the manufacturing workforce.

  • Lafarge signs N11b power project contract to build plant in Ashaka

    Lafarge Africa Plc has signed an N11 billion contract with Chinese contractor, Rughn Power Corp, to build a captive power plant at its Ashaka plant in Gombe State.

    According to the Chairman of the Board of Ashakacem, Mallam Suleiman Yahyah, the agreement is for erection of 16 megawatts lignite-fire plant for the firm.

    Mallam Yahyah, who said this at the signing ceremony in Abuja on Friday, added that the power plant would supply consistent energy to boost the plant in order to increase the firm’s production capacity to 1million metric tonnes annually.

    According to him, the power supply transformation was the first step in the development of the cement plant to recover cost leadership in the north east.

    Yahyah said: “The north east region is a strategic region where Ashaka is supporting the construction programme of government. This project will further strengthen the relationship with Gombe State as well as the communities and reinforce the importance of Ashaka as the major manufacturing company in that part of the country.

    In his response, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) represented by Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Mustapha Shehuri, stated that the federal government has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with 15 companies to improve power supply using solar technology.

    He added that with the PPA agreement, government is targeting over 1,500 megawatts to add to what Nigeria currently generates.

  • Lafarge Africa optimistic despite first-half slowdown

    Lafarge Africa optimistic despite first-half slowdown

    The management of Lafarge Africa Plc yesterday assured that the cement group would deliver stronger performance in the second half after gas shortages, repair works and foreign exchange (forex) significantly impaired performance in the first half.

    During the first half of 2016, Lafarge Africa recorded many achievements in it continuing corporate consolidation including successful acquisition of the balance of 50 per cent ownership stake in United Cement Company of Nigeria (Unicem), which makes Unicem a 100 per cent subsidiary of Lafarge Africa; and a N60 billion bond raised to refinance Unicem’s Naira-denominated debt at a lower interest rate. The Nation recently reported that Lafarge Africa was also considering plan to restructure and refinance the dollar-denominated portion of Unicem debt. These loans were largely used to fund the expansion projects which will add an additional 2.5 metric tonnes per annum cement capacity to the current production capacity of Unicem.

    Lafarge Africa’s first-half report also indicated that its South African cement operations reported solid volume growth, with cement sales volume growing by eight per cent compared to first half 2015 as well as a steady aggregates volume in first half 2016.

    Key extracts of the unaudited report and accounts for the six-month period ended June 30, 2016 however showed declines in sales and profitability. Turnover dropped to N107.36 billion in first half 2016 as against N152.18 billion in comparable period of 2015. As against pre and post tax profit of N30.85 billion and N27.32 billion respectively in first half 2015, the company recorded pre and post tax loss of N30.18 billion and N30.25 billion in first half 2016.

    Chief executive officer, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Michel Puchercos said recent initiatives have strengthened the operational fundamentals of the cement group, noting that the synergies from these will ensure it continues to deliver good performance with significant upsides as it concludes on the integration journey to form Lafarge Africa.

    According to him, the new company is much stronger and better positioned to deliver operational excellence and improve value to shareholders.

    “The second half of the year is anticipated to be more rewarding. We expect the cement market to be strong mainly driven by the individual home segment with a marginal contribution from the public sector. We expect to benefit from the synergies of our integrated operations, in spite of the gas shortages. Our objective is to deliver innovative and good quality building solutions to meet the specific needs of our customers, while also achieving good value creation for our shareholders,” Puchercos said.

     

  • CBN forex reforms brighten outlook for Lafarge

    Adjustment in the official value of the naira against major international currencies will affect the second quarter results of Lafarge Africa Plc, the company has said.

    According to its latest profit update to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) at the weekend, the company has a total of $495 million in external borrowing on its book.

    It said the figure comprised debts by UNICEM, one of its operating companies acquired last year.

    Prior to the completion of the LafargeHolcim merger, Lafarge Africa had 53 per cent stake in UNICEM.

    Besides the Southwest where WAPCO Lafarge is the dominant operator with two major factories in Ewekoro and Sagamu, UNICEM is a key supplier to the market in Southsouth.

    The update noted that the company’s  Board of Directors is upbeat about the company’s prospects this year.

    It said: “The impact of the naira adjustment is seen as a one-off event with durable future benefits. With the reform of the interbank forex market boosting the confidence and interest of foreign financial institutions in the Nigerian market, Lafarge Africa Plc is confident it can refinance UNICEM’S $495 loan by the end of 2016, thus making significant savings on interest payments.

    “Lafarge Africa Plc, in June 2016, refinanced the naira component of the company’s debt when it issued a N60 billion bond, the largest in Nigeria’s corporate history.

    “This was seen by analysts as a display of confidence in the company’s fundamentals and generally in the prospect of Nigeria’s construction sector.

    “UNICEM is strategically located in Mfamosing, Calabar, in Cross Rivers State and is a major cement plant in the Southsouth and Southeast.

    “It has a cement capacity of 2.5mm tonnes; Lafarge Africa Plc plans to inaugurate a 2.5m tonnes line during the second half of 2016, which will double UNICEM’s capacity.”

  • Lafarge Africa commits to safer environment

    Lafarge Africa commits to safer environment

    •Inaugurates logistics academy

    Lafarge Africa Plc has pledged further commitment to ensuring safer environment in its business operations.

    To this end, the firm, last week, inaugurated a logistics academy at its Ewekoro cement plant in Ogun State.

    The academy to train and upgrade  drivers’ skills, transport firms’ owners, employees and other stakeholder groups in the logistics process of its cement business, is situated across four locations in three regions of the country where the firm operates.

    According to the Managing Director, Lafarge Africa, Mr. Michel Puchercos, the academy is in line with the company’s vision to build a stronger Nigeria safely, ethically and sustainably through innovative construction solutions.

    “One of the ways to achieve this is through the safe delivery of our products across the country. We commit to operational excellence, enhanced  quality of logistics services, strong road transport safety management, and attainment of our overall safety objective of Clean, Green, Zero Harm environment,” he stressed.

    Puchercos explained that the initiative would impact the firm’s business positively and aid in achieving the desired Operational Performance Improvement.

    The scheme, he further said, would focus on three ‘Ps’- People development; Process efficiency and Performance improvement – factors, he explained, are driven by the pillars of drivers training and development, contractors/transporters development, and logistics staff training and development.

    The Logistics Director, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Hans Mielants, argued that the majority of accidents   on the roads were avoidable. This, he said, was why key logistic stakeholders must continue to develop the requisite skills and constantly enhance their levels of professionalism, which will ultimately make the environment safer.

    He said the Lafarge Africa Plc, is, through this initiative, proactively closing this gap and raise the required level of proficiency for sustained improvement of business and the environment.

    It will be recalled that the firm, in May 2014, launched a Drivers’ Academy for the engagement of certified drivers, who would have passed through a systematic qualification process.

    The successes recorded from this effort, as well as the urge to continue to improve its safety records, Puchercos explained, culminated in the launch of the more, inclusive Lafarge Africa Logistics Academy.

  • Lafarge Africa honours trade partners

    Lafarge Africa honours trade partners

    Lafarge Africa Plc has honoured its trade partners (distributors) at a Customers’ Awards ceremony. It was to appreciate them for their contributions to the company’s success and growth of its business in 2015.

    Welcoming the over 100 customers from across the country to the event, which held at the Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, Lafarge Africa Plc Sales Director Mr. Sam Ndionyenma said a key distribution scheme, a strong route to market distribution system which is vital in expanding the company’s distribution footprint, would be rolled out soon.

    He congratulated the distributors for delivering the quality Lafarge Africa demands of its partners.

    His words:“Building materials are as good as the quality of their delivery channels, they must arrive at the users’ sites in the quality they left our plants”.

    Commending the customers further, he said: “You have given us the confidence to expand into new technical segments. We are starting three Readymix plants this year in addition to the eight we have built since 2005”.

    Also, the Chief Executive Officer Cement, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo, said the importance of the award was underscored by the fact that since it started in 2005, this edition was the first Pan-Nigeria Customer Awards, to cover Lafarge Africa Plc’s operations in the North (AshakaCem), the South (Unicem) and South West (WAPCO).

    “This is the first time we are able to bring all our key customers across the country together to celebrate your contribution to the growth and success of your company – Lafarge Africa Plc” she stressed.

    The Chairman, Board of Directors, Lafarge Africa Plc., Mr. Mobolaji Balogun, reiterated the reason for the annual customer awards. According to him, it was to appreciate its distributors for their support for the growth of Lafarge Africa business in Nigeria.

    The star winner at the awards, Mr. Enobong Ukpanah, Kpaksbuddy Nig. Ltd’s managing director, who won a Kia Sportage, expressed his gratitude to God and the management of Lafarge Africa for recognising the contributions of the dealers to their business.