On Monday, the Presidency got involved in the dispute over who should own the Dangote cement factory in Obajana, Kogi State.
Governor Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Aliko Dangote, the head of the Dangote Group, and Abdullahi Sule reportedly attended the meeting at the office of the chief of staff to the president in the Presidential Villa in Abuja (Nasarawa).
The meeting was verified by a dependable source within the Presidency. After attending the All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Presidential Campaign Committee’s inauguration at the State House’s Banquet Hall, our reporter also caught the Kogi State governor leaving for the Chief of Staff Office.
The intervention followed the Kogi State government’s last week decision to close the Obajana facility due to claims of tax evasion and disputed ownership.
The management of the Dangote Group is rumored to have already decided to go to court this week to challenge the legitimacy of the Kogi state vigilantes who allegedly invaded the Obajana cement factory, injuring numerous company employees, and forcing the facility to close.
The report of the Specialized Technical Committee on the Evaluation of the Legality of the Alleged Acquisition of Obajana Cement Company Plc by Dangote Cement Company Limited was made public last Thursday by the Kogi State Government.
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr. (Mrs.) Folashade Ayoade, presented the public with the comprehensive report that was provided to Governor Yahaya Bello.
She stated that the alleged transfer of Obajana to Dangote Industries Limited was “illegal, null, and void” while citing papers.
Three Certificates of Occupancy for Obajana Cement Company Plc, which the Kogi State government fully owned at the time, were utilized to get an N63 billion loan from Dangote, according to information provided by Ayoade in the report.
She claims that the committee has advised Kogi State to take action to reclaim the Obajana Cement Company from the Dangote Group in light of its findings.
The SSG-led committee’s other recommendation was for the Kogi State government to take action to reclaim all accumulated dividends from past gains, including accrued interest on those profits.
Governor Yahaya Bello stated in his remarks that he had made the courageous decision in accordance with his mission to protect the lives and way of life of the Kogi State people, especially residents, and to ensure their well-being.
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Bello noted that this followed protests by state residents who believed they had been marginalized and suppressed by the Dangote Group, which had come to rob them.
However, in a prompt response to the activities of the Kogi State government, the management of Dangote Cement Plc refuted the allegations.
“We emphasize that the Obajana Cement factory is 100% owned by Dangote Cement PLC,” stated Michel Puchercos, group managing director of Dangote Cement Plc.
The vigilantes shot 27 of our employees while forcibly evicting the workers to enforce the shutdown, and they also damaged some of the company’s property at the plant.
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