Etisalat Donates Borehole to Ogun State Community as CSR Initiative

Etisalat Nigeria has again affirmed its commitment to the development of communities across the country with the launch of its Community Sanitation Support Programme (CSSP) in Ijeun Lukosi community in Abeokuta, in partnership with HEDA Resource Centre and the Ogun State Government.

As part of the initiative, Etisalat inaugurated a water borehole project it provided for the community and also donated waste disposal bins and other ancillary items in furtherance of its support to promote good hygiene among residents as well as preserve the environment in the area. A total of 10 youth ‘Waste Management Champions’, who received training from Etisalat, were also presented with phones, SIM and recharge cards.

Speaking at the event, Mohammed Suleh-Yusuf, head, Public Policy and Government Affairs, Etisalat Nigeria, said the CSSP initiative underscored the telco’s commitment to continuously provide innovative solutions that support the Nigerian people as well as their communities to do more by staying healthy at all times.

He encouraged the residents to make good use of the facilities and to always promote practices that can enhance a healthy environment. “It is a great delight for us at Etisalat to be here at Ijeun Lukosi to impact the lives of people in this community. We are excited to demonstrate good corporate social responsibility by promoting sustainable and healthy communities through our CSSP initiative. This is indeed a day of celebration for both the company and the community because we are building effective partnerships”, Suleh-Yusuf said.

Commenting on the rationale behind CSSP, Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility, Oyetola Oduyemi, said the initiative aligns with the company’s vision of promoting healthy environments as well as environmental preservation.

She added that the donation of waste disposal materials and the training of young waste managers were in line with the same objective of putting good hygiene and environmental sustainability on the front burner particularly among the youth.

“The CSSP aligns with our Corporate Social Responsibility focus which is executed under three broad platforms: Education, Health and Environment. Community sanitation is very important because we need to preserve the environment for the present and future generations. We have realised that if we focus on providing education, contribute to the health of the people, but fail to preserve the planet, the gains would be lost in the long run”, she said. 

Representative of  Alhaji Oduntan Owolabi, Ogun State Commissioner for Environment enjoined the residents to take personal hygiene seriously so they can stay free of avoidable communicable diseases. He also urged them to take ownership of the facilities by using them for the purpose for which they were provided.

He added,”You have been educated enough on the need to keep your environment clean. If we all maintain a clean environment, we will be better for it. What Etisalat has brought to this community is something that deserves applause and emulation. This is so because they have not only imparted the knowledge for healthy living, but they have also provided the tools required.”

Sulamian Arigbabu, executive director, Human and Environmental Developmental Agenda, corroborated the significance of a healthy environment, and said it was the responsibility of everyone to keep the environment clean in the interest of all.