Africa’s largest conglomerate, Dangote Group has released a statement clearing the air on what an insider is calling a series of “malicious publications set up by a known but undisclosed competitor to tarnish the reputation of its globally respected brand”.
According to a statement released by the Ikoyi, Lagos based firm, Dangote Group actually enjoys good relationship with the entire spectrum of the Okpella community of Edo state.
See the full text of the statement from Dangote Cement Plc below:
Our attention has been drawn to a petition purportedly addressed to the London Stock Exchange, ‘Petition against destabilizing acts by Dangote Cement Company Plc against Okpella Community of Edo State’ dated 5 November 2015 and published in the Daily Sun Newspaper of Monday, November 9, 2015 from the Chambers of MOKIDI & CO who claimed to be acting for and before of “Okpella Youth Forum”.
We do hereby make the flowing clarifications;
• There is no grain of truth in the said publication as the traditional ruler of Okpella, His Royal Majesty, Alhaji (Dr.) A.Y.E. Dirisu has granted full authority/permission to Dangote Cement to prospect for minerals in his kingdom, hence no need to forcefully take over or cause mayhem over limestone quarry.(see appendix 1)
• Okpella Development Initiative in a counter-letter to the London Stock Exchange refuted the allegations published in Daily Sun Newspaper of Monday, November 9, 2015. (see appendix 2)
• Okpella Youth Forum in a rejoinder published in Sunday Sun of November 15, 2015 dissociated themselves from the said publication and called on Mokidi & Co to apologize within 14 days. (see appendix 3)
• Dangote Cement is Africa’s leading cement producer with over 40mt of capacity operational, including three plants in Nigeria (Obajana, Ibese and Gboko), 18 African countries (Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroun, Liberia, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Congo, Niger, Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Chad and Mali).
• We are a fully integrated quarry-to-customer producer with production capacity of 29.25 million tonnes in Nigeria. Our Obajana plant in Kogi state, Nigeria, is the largest in Africa with 13.25 million tonnes of capacity across four lines. The Ibese plant in Ogun State has four cement lines with a combined installed capacity of 12 million tonnes. The Gboko plant in Benue state has 4 million tonnes of capacity. Through our recent investments, Dangote Cement has eliminated Nigeria’s dependence on imported cement and is transforming the nation into an exporter serving neighbouring countries.
• We are investing several billion dollars to build manufacturing plants and import/grinding terminals across 18 African countries. We have operations in Senegal (1.5mt), South Africa (3.3mt), Cameroon (1.5mt), Ghana (1 mt import facility), Ethiopia (2.5mt) and Zambia (1.5mt). We are also building plants in Tanzania (3mt), Republic of Congo (1.5mt), Niger (3mt) and Kenya (3mt). We plan to build import or grinding facilities in Sierra Leone (0.7mt), Ghana (1.5mt), Cote D’Ivoire (1.5mt) and Liberia (0.7mt), and Zimbabwe.
• As a responsible company with global operations, we have never resorted to violence or the use of thugs to achieve our organisational goals. It’s our mandate to invest in PEACE given our scale of operations in Nigeria and other countries.
• We always comply with all the necessary laws and requirements in our operations in Nigeria and across the world