The Kogi State House of Assembly has again summoned Dangote Cement Limited to appear before it on Thursday to shed more lights on how hitherto Obajana Cement was acquired by the company.
The invitation followed the refusal of the Management of Dangote Cement Limited to honour the first invitation to a public hearing scheduled for yesterday, Saturday in Lokoja.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Matthew Kolawole speaking after the hearing was botched, noted that the invitation to Dangote Cement Company and other companies operating in the State became necessary to demand the State’s fair share from the companies.
He added that despite the huge amount of resources being taken away from the soil of the State, what was being paid to the government coffer as revenue was nothing to write home about.
According to him, “the invitation is simply a demand for the rights of the State to a fair share of resources taken out of her soil.”
He stressed that the summons should not be misconstrued as witch-hunting.
He decried the manner in which Obajana Cement which was wholly owned by the State was taken over by Dangote Cement Limited, adding that the public hearing was meant to unearth the secret behind the acquisition.
Kolawole explained that the House was not unmindful of what transpired in the past, saying they were making reference to it to avoid a repeat in the future.
According to him, “we are currently investigating sources of our Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, and we believe it is expedient for the House to interface with some companies operating in the State.
”For example, Dangote Cement Limited started as Obajana Cement company. Kogi State House of Assembly is interested and curious to know what happened at a point that the company transformed to Dangote Cement Limited.
“We want to know what is the benefits of the State in the company. What is the equity share of the State in the company.
”We are beaming our searchlights on all companies in the State, as we not particular about Dangote.
“We have Mangal Limited, we have some that are into mining coal, limestones, gold, even as different kinds of solid minerals are being mined out of Kogi on a daily basis.
”We want to know on whose instruction are they paying their dues. We are interested in doing business with companies that will give us our fair share of the quantum of resources taken out of our soil.
”We are not against any organisation, but let the right things be done at the right time. We enjoin them to give to us what belongs to us and that is why we are here.
“We are confident that when the report would be written a lot of discovery will be made. We invited Dangote and they are not here. I have directed the committee to invite Dangote for Thursday and ensure that they acknowledge receipt of the correspondence,” he disclosed.
