Residents of Keffi in Nasarawa State have lauded construction company, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) for being responsive to its corporate social responsibility to the people.
They also commended the company for the pace and quality of the Keffi-Lafia Road which it is currently working on.
Also the people lauded the efforts of the Ministry of Works, led by the Minister, Babatunde Fashola, for the commitment towards the fruition of the road project, which is expected to be completed early next year.
A titled leader in Keffi, Mohammed Agwai, was full of gratitude to the company offering its equipment to help him clear out huge trees in his compound just off the Keffi-Lafia Road for a project that would be of benefit to the people of the state.
Agwai, who is the Shettiman Keffi, said besides the good quality of work being done by the company on the road it was constructing, it has been alive to its corporate social responsibility to the community where it was working.
He said, “I was clearing the site for a project. I had to clear the surrounding area which has been bushy with some trees around it and have spent so much money to cut down the trees. In the process of doing that I experienced that I could not uproot the trees from the ground. I tried for two weeks for who to help me do it and there was no headway. We have a time limit to do this. That was what happened and we were looking for how to get this big root out of the way.
“I reached out to a friend who reached out. We took advantage of the work, the road construction of Keffi Lafia Road going on. I now had to reach a friend to help us reach out to the company to help us with their machines just to uproot the trees from the ground which it gladly did yesterday to my amazement.
“They responded within a very short time. I was so excited. I paid so much already and there was nothing I could do. They came and helped me remove all the roots so we can have the function. We are happy with the company. On behalf of our people, we are glad for this gesture and for building this road.
“This road has been a nightmare for so many years. We had so many problems on this road. Congestion, traffic, sometimes the traffic lasts for a whole day. This has been going on. But we are happy now, this road is now going on as if something magical is going on. It is so fast, and we are happy with the construction company. They are very friendly people. We have never had issues with them.
“They are a very serious company and we hope other companies in Nigeria would emulate them. What they are doing is good. They have been very responsive to the people. I am one of the title holders in Keffi and I can say the responses we get from the people is that the company is doing well.
“This company takes care of their responsibility very well. They do corporate services wherever they are. This is just one of the help they are giving us. Without them I do not know how I would have managed this situation. We thank them and encourage them. In terms of employment, this company has impacted positively on this community. They have employed youths in this community. Most of their local staff and workers are indigenes of Keffi and Nasarawa State. It has improved the economy of the people. The quality of road they have also been doing is of very good standard.
“We also have a message for the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola. He is doing a very wonderful job. We can see his passion in him particularly for this road and other roads too. He is driving it with all his energy. We know this project would be completed and delivered by him. We convey all our sincere gratitude to him. He is wonderful. The road has been here for ages until he came to work on this road. And we are very grateful for how it has improved our lives.”
Another leader in Keffi, Alhaji Sefiu Rafiu, was also full of gratitude for the CHEC.
Rafiu, who is the Pakati Yoruba Keffi said, “The company has been doing very well. It has been doing our work. We have been expecting this road to be done before now, but since this present administration started this work, it has been moving very fine. So there is no problem. We thank God for the company. They have been helping members of the community. They have employed our brothers. And they have improved the economy of this area. We would continue working with them and supporting them to do more.
Also a woman leader in Keffi, Hajiya Aisha Mohammed, expressed gratitude to the company.
“We are happy with what the CHEC is doing in Keffi. They are doing a good job and the road they are constructing is wonderful. Before it was not anything to write home about, but now it is very good and they are doing a good job and people are happy. There is nothing better than what they are doing,” she said.
