Show evidence of payment for Obajana — NAKOSS tells Dangote Group
…Accuses MAN over ‘biased’ statements
By Idris Bakare
The National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS), has called on Dangote Group to provide evidence on ownership of the Obajana Cement Company.
This was stated in a statement made available to Nigerian NewsDirect by the National President, Nakoss, Rachael Mojirola during the weekend.
In the statement, Rachael said that Kogi State House of Assembly that exposed the inability of the Management of Dangote Cement to show evidence of responsible transfer of the shares of the company belonging to Kogi State is an action in the right direction.
She explained that Obajana Cement Plant was established and nurtured by Kogi State Government until Dangote offered to partner with the state.
According to her, “We acknowledge the efforts of Aliko Dangote to industrialise the country, create jobs and wealth through various factories, but we wish to state unequivocally that he cannot rewrite history in our own case as we know the story of Obajana from inception.
“This case is simple. Show evidence of consideration or payment, 100 per cent, for our Obajana and we will tell the whole world to judge.
“It is our strongly held opinion that the fact-finding action of the Kogi State House of Assembly that exposed the inability of the Management of Dangote Cement to show evidence of responsible transfer of the shares of the company belonging to Kogi State is an action in the right direction, especially that the company was given ample opportunity to provide proof.”
Furthermore, NAOKOSS accused the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) over misleading press statement. This statement accirding to the students lacks merit and lopsided.
“We have listened to the misleading argument of MAN in its press statement of Friday, October 7, 2022 and we are duty bound to inform the public that the argument of this association, which the whole world knows is being controlled by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, is lopsided and lacks merit.
“This and other such arguments by other associations in the league of MAN are, to say the least, a slap on the face of indigenes of our state who have been unfairly exploited for years, with many either dying daily from environmental hazards arising from Dangote’s activities in the area or in the hands of its reckless drivers that have killed many across Nigeria (countless Kogi State students inclusive). All these hazards, yet nothing accrues to the government from a concern it created,” She lamented.
Recall, the crisis over the ownership of the Obajana cement plant in Kogi State deepened on Friday as the state government and Dangote Cement Plc continued to lay claims to the facility.
There was pandemonium on Wednesday when officials of the Kogi State Government reportedly moved to seal the cement plant which it claimed belonged to the state.
The state government accused the cement company of distorting the facts and vowed to recover all accrued dividends from profits made over the years by the Dangote Group, including accrued interests on the same.
However, the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) condemned the closure of the cement factory, adding that the action does not necessarily help the controversial issue of compliance on tax remittable to state government.
