Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to a business approach that promotes the idea that companies and institutions have responsibilities beyond simply maximizing profits.
It encompasses voluntary actions and initiatives taken by businesses to address social, environmental and ethical concerns and contribute to sustainable development especially of a company or an institution host community.
The whole of Osara town in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State was filled with great joy yesterday the 11th day of August, 2023 as this community hosting the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara was gifted a borehole at two different points within the community to help alleviate their long wait for portable water.
Balogun Omeiza David, Head, Public Relations Unit, CUSTECH, Osara, said The Vice Chancellor of CUSTECH, Engr. Prof. Salawu Sadiku led other Management Staff which includes the Bursar, Mr. John Alaji, and the Librarian, Mr. Jeremiah Salifu.
The Registrar, Ms. Olufunke Hudson was unavoidably absent due to some other official commitments.
Others key staff members who went with the Vice Chancellor were: Bldr. Ismail Adoke (Director, Physical Planning and Development), Arc. Usman Ahmed (Director, Works and Maintenance) and Pharm. Muhammed A. Audu (Director, Academic Planning).
Speaking at the commissioning of the borehole with 8 fetching points in two different places in Osara, Engr. Prof. Salawu Sadiku thanked all the Osara community and also their leaders for their unwavering love towards CUSTECH as an ivory tower within their domain.
He took the community members who were present at the commissioning down memory lane by appreciating the way the community comported itself when the issue of compensating those with farmlands within CUSTECH mapped out land came up sometimes ago.
In his words, “It is only God that is infallible and as humans, we are prone to make mistakes. As an institution of higher learning, we carefully took our time to go about the compensation process and I must say your understanding was part of what gave us the success we achieved without any rancor.
“I am happy to be part of this community and I will always continue to savour the spirit of one accord that is abundantly available here which is glaring for all to see.”
Before now and as part of Corporate Social Responsibility of an organization to the host community, the Vice Chancellor of CUSTECH, Osara and his Management Team had given succour to the people of Osara when the transformer supplying them with power supply packed up.
Engr. Prof. Salawu Sadiku added in his speech that, “I saw it as a taboo for the university community to be having access to power supply while the host community of the same university is in total darkness. That was why I took it upon myself to see that the faulty transformer was repaired for the people to have access to light.”
Speaking further, the erudite Professor of Structural Engineering also gave thanks to the Osara Community for the hospitable spirit they have shown so far towards the staff members and students of CUSTECH living with them in the community.
He prayed that this spirit of oneness that is existing between the ivory tower and the community will not for any reason come to an abrupt end.
While talking about the borehole before the commissioning, Engr. Prof. Salawu Sadiku appreciated His Excellency, Alh. (Dr). Yahaya Bello (CON), the Executive Governor of Kogi State for establishing CUSTECH, Osara. He told the Osara community that, “Part of what you are enjoying now as the dividends of democracy is as a result of the vision the Governor had which he also took a bold step to make it a reality. That is why we are here today commissioning a borehole to serve this community.”
The vote of thanks on behalf of the Osara community was given by Mr. James Araga. He appreciated the Vice Chancellor and his team for making available the source of water supply that has eluded the community for a long time now. Part of the other activities to thank the Vice Chancellor of CUSTECH, Osara was the singing of Ebira traditional Ikede songs, drumming and dancing with the women kneeling down repeatedly to show their genuine appreciation for this act that will not make them to wander about during the rainy and dry seasons searching for water.