Photo Caption
Julius Berger’s AKR Project Commercial Manager, Mr Ralf Brendicke (middle), Julius Berger’s Director, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road (AKR) Construction Works, Engr. Benjamin Booth (2nd from right) and President of Jam’yyar Matan Arewa, Hajiya Rabi Musa Salauwa (1st right) shortly after the Julius Berger officials were on behalf of the Company collectively decorated with the togas bearing the Arewa Star in Kaduna last Thursday
The pioneer and foremost women Non-Governmental Organization in northern Nigeria, Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa (JMA), has described the country’s leading construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, as “… a most responsible company with a highly functional, productive and commendable Corporate Social Responsibility Culture…worthy of emulation by others.’’
The President of Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa (JMA), Hajiya Rabi Musa Saulawa, made the remarks in Kaduna on thursday at the handing over of the renovated buildings at the Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa (JMA) Orphanage and Premier school.
The renovation works were undertaken by Julius Berger as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives to partner with and assist the development of its host communities along the geo-strategic Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road construction project.
Hajiya Rabi Musa Salauwa who traced the history of Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa to Nigeria’s First Republic, said it was founded in 1963, and by 1st December 1964, Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa opened the orphanage in Kaduna.
The take-off property for the Orphanage was donated by the then Premier of Northern Nigeria, the legendary Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sadauna of Sokoto along with a cash donation of £500 as takeoff grant.
Hajiya Rabi celebrated that since its founding till date, over 3,000 orphans have successfully passed through the the Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa Orphanage and its schools.
According to Hajiya Rabi, many of the children who passed through the institution are now graduates of universities and polytechnics. Two of such students are graduates of the Nigerian Defense Academy (NDA) and one attended Nigerian Aviation School Zaria and is now a pilot, while several others are now Police officers.
Hajiya Rabi, however, said the JMA Orphanage, office accommodation and schools overtime fell into a deplorable state of dilapidation due to paucity of funds, being an organization that depends solely on donations and the little income generated from the schools. She said the funds generated have been grossly inadequate to carry out any major renovations and for the smooth operations of the organization.
She heartily thanked Julius Berger for its very meaningful CSR intervention to assist with the renovation of the buildings of the institution.
Alhaji Zubairu Ibrahim Bayi, executive director administration of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, who represented the Managing Director of the company Engr. Dr. Lars Richter and led the company’s delegation to the event, offered the sincere regards and good wishes of the MD for a happy new year to all guests present at the ceremony.
Bayi, who grew up in Kaduna, also said that, “…on a very personal and nostalgic note, I equally feel a deep sense of happy homecoming to stand before you in this event in Kaduna. While I am here representing our MD, Dr. Richter, and officially speaking for Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, please still kindly allow me to say it feels good to be home in your midst.’’
All along the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road corridor, several communities, he said, have benefited from Julius Berger‘s Corporate Social Responsibility activities.
Bayi further informed the gathering that, significantly, as a deliberate policy targeted at empowering its host communities, Julius Berger ensured that local contractors were used in executing all the projects and procurement of the items either in the form of construction materials or commodities. “Selection of beneficiaries of these projects was also tactically done on the basis of fair spread of community empowerment.”
According to Bayi, most distributed Julius Berger CSR items were also sourced locally from host communities.
