Tukur Lawal, Head of Community Affairs and Environment, Dangote Cement Plc, has noted it is crucial for extractive industries to prioritise the conservancy of groundwater to preserve the environment for the usefulness of all.
He encouraged businesses to purposely incorporate the protection of groundwater in their operational designs and sourcing of industrial production facilities.
The statement said he spoke while making his presentation to stakeholders in the sustainability ecosystem during a webinar to mark the 2022 World Water Day hosted by the Lagos Business School Sustainability Centre, in collaboration with Dangote Cement Plc and the United Nations Environment Programme.
He said Dangote Cement has always engaged in global best practices in this regard.
“Some of the best practices by Dangote Cement Plc, include the dry cement production process, recycling and reuse of 20 per cent of water at the company’s Ibese plant in South West Nigeria, as well as channelling of treated water to farmers in the surrounding communities,” he said.
According to him, this is a development that has benefitted about 143 farmers in Zambia.
The statement said the virtual event, which had in attendance stakeholders from Africa, was in line with this year’s theme ‘Groundwater: Making the invisible visible, and it centred on the fact that groundwater is only three per cent of the world’s fresh water, and yet the largest and most widely distributed source of freshwater.
The Head of Sustainability, Dangote Cement Plc, Dr Igazeuma Okoroba, said the web forum was organised to raise awareness and promote collaboration in the sustainable use of groundwater, which is an essential resource for everyone.
