The Federal Government has appreciated the Dangote Group for complementing the government’s efforts to diversify the country’s economy and the company’s dedication to promotion of best practices in all its operations.
The commendation came as the Ogun State Government said the Dangote Cement was a key driver of the state’s economy with the location of the continent’s second biggest cement plant in the state.
Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziaq Saloko, according to statement on Thursday, disclosed this while on a visit to Dangote Cement plant, Ibese, Ogun State on Wednesday.
The visit was followed by a community engagement preparatory to the Expert Panel Review of the report of an Environmental Impact Assessment carried out on coal milling at the plant.
Salako said, “Dangote Industries as a whole is an international conglomerate and I am happy that the company is at the forefront of promoting best practices in terms of conception, planning, implementation, management of factories that are manufacturers like this.”
The minister and his entourage, who were received by the plant management led the Plant Director, Mr Azad Nawabuddin, described mining as one of the key industrial sectors that President Bola Tinubu’s administration had targeted for economic diversification as the nation embarks on gradual shift from oil and gas dependency.
He said it was for that reason that Dangote Cement should be commended for the huge cement plant which is creating jobs and opportunities for export.
Also, the Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, who represented the Governor, Dapo Abiodun, said the state was a beneficiary of Dangote Cement presence with the amount of levies and taxes it had paid into the state coffers.
He called for a more collaboration between the state agencies and the company, noting that the state was not unaware of the activities of the plant to lift its host communities.
In his remark, Nawabuddin took the minister through the social investments and infrastructural milestones recorded by the plant since inception.
He added that the company had been able to substantially contribute to infrastructure development and employment in the host communities.
The plant director said that Dangote Cement, Ibese Plant had been a major contributor to economic diversification efforts of both the State and Federal Governments by creating jobs, exporting cement and clinker to neighbouring countries to attract foreign exchange into the country.
