How did the Kogi State Cement Company in Obajana, Kogi State, become that of Dangote Industries? Who mines mineral resources out of the State almost on a daily basis?
These are just two of the nagging questions the Kogi State House of Assembly has woken up to find answers to, after years of murmurings and grumbling in the State.
In fact, the management of Dangote Cement Company snubbed the lawmakers, not showing up to face a probe in the Assembly, leading the lawmakers to, again, issue fresh summons.
The Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Matthew Kolawole, at the public hearing, which could not hold, owing to the absence of the company’s officials, 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.
“The invitation is simply a demand for the rights of the State to a fair share of resources taken out of her soil,” he said, adding that the summons was not a witch-hunting exercise.
Kolawole frowned at how the Obajana Cement company 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.
Said the Speaker, “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.”
Meanwhile, the planned investigation brings to the fore what has been happening in other parts of the State.
On the Kogi East senatorial district, residents in the Ankpa axis have watched for years how mineral resources are being moved out of the area by trucks on a daily basis, but there have been no commensurate development to the area.
Mum has been the attitude of the local government area officials of the axis, and it is not clear whether revenue of any sort is paid by Dangote Company and other trucks that ply the route daily.