Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has urged the new owners of Ashaka Cement Company, HBM Nigeria PLC, to match their planned expansion in production capacity with a stronger commitment to the welfare of host communities and environmental protection.
The Governor made the call while receiving the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HBM Nigeria PLC, Mr. Lolu Alade-Akinyemi, who led the company’s executive management team, including the Managing Director of Ashaka Cement Ltd, Ibrahim Aminu, on a courtesy visit to the Government House in Gombe.
Governor Yahaya said the planned expansion of Ashaka Cement’s production capacity presents a significant opportunity for the company to deepen its contribution to the economic development of Gombe State through employment generation, local content development, community investment and enhanced corporate social responsibility programmes.
He assured the company of the state government’s continued readiness to work in partnership with HBM Nigeria PLC to create an enabling environment for sustainable industrial growth.
The Governor noted that Ashaka Cement enjoys considerable goodwill across Northern Nigeria and urged the company to leverage its strategic position to consolidate its status as one of the country’s leading producers of cement and other building materials.
He stressed that while profit maximisation is a legitimate objective for businesses operating in a liberal economy, companies must also recognise and fulfil their responsibilities to the communities and environment in which they operate.
Governor Yahaya specifically called on HBM Nigeria PLC to explore ways of improving the road infrastructure leading to Ashaka Cement. He noted that some adjoining roads constructed by the state government had suffered damage from the heavy trucks and haulage activities associated with the company.
The Governor also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for awarding the contract for the construction of the Gombe-Biu Super Highway, describing the project as a major intervention that would benefit not only the people of Gombe State but also businesses and industries across the region.
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He challenged Ashaka Cement to position itself to supply the cement required for the project, particularly as the highway is expected to utilise concrete pavement.
The GMD/CEO of HBM Nigeria PLC, Lolu Alade-Akinyemi, explained that the transition from Lafarge Africa PLC to HBM Nigeria PLC followed the integration of Lafarge into Huaxin Building Materials Group, a globally recognised manufacturer of cement and building materials.
Akinyemi assured the Governor that, despite the change in ownership, the company’s commitment to the government and people of Gombe State remained steadfast.
He said the new management would prioritise local content, strategic partnerships, community development and corporate social responsibility, while working to strengthen the company’s contribution to the state’s economy.
The HBM Nigeria PLC chief executive disclosed that plans were underway to increase Ashaka Cement’s production capacity to two million metric tonnes per annum, a development he said would create additional employment opportunities and stimulate economic activity for transporters, suppliers and other businesses across the company’s value chain.
