Nigeria’s most operationally trustworthy, reliable and solution-oriented
engineering construction and prime infrastructural development company,
Julius Berger Plc, has rewarded hundreds of its long-serving members of
staff all across its operations in the country.
At a colourful celebration of its workforce in Abuja last Saturday, the
full complement of the executive management of the company was on hand to
honour its hardworking, faithful, loyal, competent, and capable personnel
from across all of the firm’s operational regions.
The Managing Director of Julius Berger, Dr Lars Richter, PhD, expressed
appreciation to all the honourees “for reaching milestones in their
dedicated service spanning up to 40 years”. This productive feat, Dr
Richter said, “is tremendous and truly inspiring”, adding that the
occasion was a stock-taking opportunity for the company’s achievements as
a whole, especially as it wraps up a very busy work year.
2018, Dr Richter said, was filled with many positive developments and
achievements, which he ascribed to a great part to the hard work,
faithfulness and loyalty of the company’s staff, especially the
long-serving honourees.
The MD said Julius Berger, during the course of the year, successfully
overcame many tough challenges, made great progress across all aspects of
its business, effectively restructured its operations to ensure the best
utilization of resources for projects’ needs, and expanded its Executive
Management to enable a stronger focus on growth potentials.
The company, he added, also very importantly attained the
recertification of its Quality Management System to meet the
standards of the strategic ISO 9001. These achievements, Dr Richter said,
“further advance our Company and serve to support the continued
realization of operational goals, financial targets and strategic
objectives” which continue to manifest as “strong progress of works across
all active sites”.
The MD, described by colleagues as a no-nonsense and target engineering
and management professional, is famously reputed to have delivered the
Abuja Airport repair works before its scheduled delivery date as Project
Manager.
Dr Richter, in character with Julius Berger’s operational values, used the
occasion to celebrate the company’s capacity for completing works for
significant projects to the full satisfaction of its clients.
He cited the Azura Independent Power Plant, which was handed over ahead
of the scheduled completion date, and the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission Head Office in Abuja, which was commissioned successfully.
Other notable private sector and national priority projects acquired by
Julius Berger Plc since the year began include the Bodo-Bonny Road and
Bridge, the Second Niger Bridge, Itu-Calabar-Odukpani Road, Lagos Shagamu
Expressway, Famfa Oil Tower, the Abuja-Kano Road; and most recently, the
Nigerian Immigration Office in Abuja.
Dr Richter said:“These projects add exciting dimension to our longstanding
impressive portfolio, especially considering the positive social and
economic impact priority projects will provide to Nigeria, when
completed”.
He added emphatically that “the new innovative cold recycling methodology
for road rehabilitation introduced recently into the country by Julius
Berger at the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road project, further solidifies our
leadership position in the construction sector, not only in regards to
service and quality, but also in terms of technological innovation.”
He expressed confidence that Julius Berger’s successful pioneering of the
innovative methodology has the potential to revolutionize road
rehabilitation projects across Nigeria, and that Julius Berger will
continue to lead the charge in achieving this.
He urged the company’s workers to focus on increasing operational
performance, strong technical knowhow, quality workmanship and expertise –
all factors that will remain the cornerstone of Julius Berger’s unmatched
performance.
Speaking directly to the honourees, Dr Richter said, “You are beacons of
inspiration for those around you and role models for new hires. I am
sincerely honoured to stand before you as Managing Director and feel proud
to work with such an outstanding group of professionals”.
Speaking also in the same vein at the event, the company’s Executive
Director, Administration, Alhaji Zubairu Ibrahim Bayi stated that “Julius
Berger is what it is today as a result of a dedicated and reliable
workforce”. He declared that “because the company’s workforce is the
greatest asset of the company”, staff welfare and motivation is paramount
in everything Julius Berger does.
Bayi on behalf of the entire workers and management of Julius Berger Plc
then pledged to the MD, Dr Richter, the unwavering support, co-operation
and loyalty of all members of the Julius Berger work family to make his
tenure as MD a huge success.
In total, 102 members of staff got 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years awards for
consistent service to the company, and 476 other workers of the Julius
Berger corporate family received honours for 10 and 15 years of continuous
service to Julius Berger at the event.