Former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Olabode George, has canvassed shareholding for host communities of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical projects.
He advised the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, to learn from the mistakes in the Niger Delta Region and not allow the same to happen in the Ibeju-Lekki/Epe axis of Lagos.
George, while congratulating Dangote for the huge investment in various projects in the axis, described Dangote as a businessman and patriot who, through his laudable achievements, is projecting Nigeria’s image globally.
He added a fractional percentage in terms of equity holding would be beneficial to the communities, whose commercial activities would be affected by the operation of the refinery.
He said: “The project is so massive and is eternal that the indigenous people of the communities deserve more than employment and training. It is through equity holding in the company that the people can truly have a sense of inclusiveness that their inheritance has not been taken away from them for nothing.”
“Being a lifetime business, pollution may soon start and the communities stand to lose from the degradation which the operations of the refinery would impact on the people of the communities in years ahead as the company continues in business.
“This may result in the pollution of their water which will, in turn, affect their fishing activities.
“The part ownership in the refinery is the only way to assuage the pains of indigenes of the host communities for the loss of their inheritances. Scholarships, training and other empowerment initiatives are good moves but for them to be fully involved in this gigantic business as a people whose inheritances were taken away from them, only part ownership of the refinery would make a lot of sense in terms of inclusiveness.
“I am offering this patriotic advice because it’s not only the immediate host communities within Ibeju-Lekki Local Council that would be affected by the environmental impact of the refinery operations. Communities along the coastal area of Epe Local Council would feel the impact. Several communities beyond Ibeju-Lekki would also be affected due to the magnitude of the refinery operations.”
