Though it is said to have endured for long, the conflict between Nigeria’s largest conglomerate, the Dangote Group and the Kogi State Government, took an unexpectedly wild turn last week
Kogi State government had last Wednesday sealed Dangote Cement’s factory located in Obajana over alleged tax evasion and equity ownership in an exercise in which several staff of the Dangote Cement were assailed with gun bullets.
Kogi State government has on Thursday, directed the Dangote Group to ensure its cement factory at Obajana is shut down within the next 48 hours in honor of the State House of Assembly which ordered the company to sealed until the conglomerate furnishes it with the requisite documents demanded by the legislature, putting at risk thousands of jobs in the process.
Unfortunately, thousands of indigenous Kogi people whose means of livelihood are dependent on the company will be affected. And from all indications, the state government doesn’t seem to reckon with that implication.
The state government maintained that Obajana Cement Company was solely founded in 1992 and owned by the state, which held 100 per cent of its shareholding in trust for its people, long before DIL ventured into the state and longer still before Dangote Cement Plc came into existence.
In response to these allegations, the company had put forward a statement denying any wrongdoing. In a statement titled, “Illegal Shutdown of Dangote Cement, Obajana Plant”, signed by the Group Managing Director (GMD), Dangote Cement Plc, Michel Puchercos, he noted that the company has the full ownership of the Obajana plant.
In a detailed response to Dangote Group’s advertorial, titled, “Separating Facts From Fiction”, the Kogi State Government noted that successive administrations had always invited Dangote Industries Limited and Dangote Cement Plc to prove that the Group paid anything at all for the purported acquisition of Obajana and its alleged 100 per cent ownership, “but each time, DIL and DCP have woefully failed to do so”.
“As a government, we will defend and protect all Government institutions against impunity.
“The governor also wishes to assure the people of the state of his unwavering commitment to defending their interest without compromise. As the face of the struggle with the over four million Kogites behind him, he will ensure the interest of the state is defended with a high sense of integrity, responsibility and allegiance through democratic instruments.
“We call on the people to remain calm and law abiding as well as continue to have faith in the leadership of the governor to deliver on the mandate of the people to take back what belongs to them.
“We also urge security agents to be on red alert to prevent anarchy in the face of the boiling anger of the people against exploitation and oppression. We can only win the battle ahead with cool heads. When our people come together like we are now, all we can do is win,” the statement added.
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