Kogi State Government says it will implement the recommendations of the Specialised Technical Committee on alleged acquisition of Obajana Cement Company, if there is no representation from Dangote side for amicable resolution.

Governor Yahaya Bello stated this at the presentation of report by the Committee on the Evaluation of the Alleged Acquisition of Obajana Cement Company PLC.

He said that attempts have been made severally at putting the records straight with Alhaji Aliko Dangote for the past five years to no avail.

In his words:” We can’t have such an investment and then be waiting for every month envelope from the Federation Account……… therefore we can’t have such an investment 100%, lose it 100%, and be at the mercy of the same Dangote and every other person 100%,. It’s an aberation”.

The Governor maintained that the report of the Committee revealed that Obajana Cement Company does not belong to Dangote, expressing his resolve to defend and protect the people in line with his constitutional mandate.

He stressed that….” in the course of ensuring that we protect even the investment, we’ve spent taxpayers money in ensuring that there’s security in that same factory all these years…… you’re aware of the number of lives that have been taken by the reckless driving of the Dangote trucks….it will take taxpayers money to repair our roads that have been destroyed by these trucks, not to talk of the climatic damage that his exploration is causing without reclamation and of those lands”.

Presenting the report, the Secretary to the Government of Kogi State, Doc. Mrs Folashade Arike Ayoade said the findings of the Committee revealed that the purported transfer of Obajana Cement Company to Dangote was invalid, null and void.

She explained that the STC recommended that Kogi State should take steps to recover Obajana Company from the Dangote Group as well as recover all accrued dividends from profits made over the years.

According to the SSG, ” there is no evidence of consideration paid by Dangote Industries Limited to Kogi State from the alleged transfer of Obajana Cement Company PLC and no dividend was paid to the State from the profits realized…….till date”

In a remark, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Prince Matthew Kolawole pointed out that the acquisition of the Obajana Cement Company by Dangote was without the resolution of the House of Assembly which made it null and void.