Housing deficit: ‘UniCem is committed to bridging gap’

The United Cement Company Nigeria (UniCem) Limited, an associate of Lafarge Africa plc and member of the LafargeHolcim Group, says it is committed to helping bridge the housing gap in Nigeria through its corporate activities.

Peter Hoddinolt, the country CEO, Lafarge Africa plc, said this in Calabar, Cross River State, where the cement company marked this year’s World Habitat Day.

At the Government Secondary School Akwa-Ikot Effanga in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state, where the cement company mounted a public event, the Lafarge Africa CEO said the company, through its staff volunteer group in partnership with a non-governmental organisation, ‘Gede Foundation,’ was marking the World Habitat Day by engaging in advocacy and awareness campaign for the protection of the environment, and renovation of dilapidated examination hall in the school.

Hoddinolt, who was represented by Inyang Bassey, UniCem CSR manager, said, in line with the theme of this year’s World Habitat Day: “Public Spaces for All,” the parent company – Lafarge Africa plc had a vision of building better cities.

“We are taking this opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to providing decent housing for low- and middle-income earners,” the Lafarge Africa CEO said.

The theme for this year corresponds with the company’s drive to improve living conditions for the low- and middle-income earners, through our affordable housing initiative.

He noted that school children in local communities represented most of the world’s vulnerable and very poor people.

The outing, he said, is to lend a helping hand to improve public spaces, in line with the global goal of improving access to them, and making the local communities safe for women and girls; spaces for equity, promote inclusion and combat discrimination, because high quality public spaces encourage people to communicate and collaborate with one another, and to participate in public life.