A lawmaker with Ogun State House of Assembly representing Yewa North 1 State Constituency Hon. Adegoke Awoso has accused management of Dangote of responsible for two years total blackout in twenty communities hosing the company for its operations.
Penpushing reports that Awoso made the accusation in a statement explaining that the reckless drivers and untrained motor boys of the company had severally damaged electric cables and transformers, which were left unattended to by the management of the company
‘It is so pathetic and terrible that the 16 Dangote host Communities and other over 20 Communities are in blackout for over two years now due to the havoc caused by the reckless Dangote drivers and untrained motor boys which damaged our electric cables and transformers’, Awoso stated.
‘Late last year, Dangote Representatives from Ibese and the Head office were summoned to the Ogun State House of Assembly on this issue and even few months later with IBEDC but yet Dangote has not provided lasting solution that will restore power till today’, the lawmaker wrote.
Penpushing further reports that the statement emphasized that in the light of that development and most especially in this present economy hardship, the youths in the communities are tired and ready to take law into their hands by stopping Dangote activities in Ibese plant if the issue of the light is not resolved by end of November.
The lawmaker stressed and declared in the statement that the indigenes and residents are fed up and cannot continue to be in darkness as a result of nonchalance of the company, having failed in their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the host communities.
‘Most residents of these communities, like welders, barbers, printers, etc whose source of livelihood rely on electric power had been thrown out of business. They are now grappling with exorbitant prices of petrol and diesel just keep financially afloat whereas Dangote is recording millions of Dollars as profit’.
‘The existing roads that are meant for cars and motorcycles have been completely taken over by Dangote trucks with load of over 60 tonnes and so therefore turn our road to death trap. This situation has claimed so many lives without any sign of remorsefulness or official willingness to solve this problem by their management’, the statement added.
Penpushing also reports that Awoso stated that just a week ago, one of the Dangot’s trucks ran into an apartment in Imasayi and almost killed the entire family due to their reckless driving within the communities
‘It is over a decade now that Dangote has started production in the plant, and yet no single park for their vehicles and other commercial vehicles after loading. All what they do is to park along both side of the road to get fuel and some others activities before they embark on their journey. These have infringed on the right of other road users and have caused several accidents claiming so many lives up till date’.
‘On our part, whenever I challenge them, they claim they pay taxes to both state and federal governments regularly so therefore I should be minding my position on the issue of bad road that frequently claim our peoples’ lives’, Awoso said
‘I am using this opportunity to call the state government and federal government to come to our rescue before this issue turn into Niger Delta crisis because an adage says there is no fire without a smoke and every war is a symptom of nonchalant attitude’.
‘I appeal for a quick intervention on this matter now. A lot of activities are going on in Dangote Cement corridor that call for review of MOU between Dangote management and our host communities because seriously my people are suffering and dying in silence’, he emphasised.
‘The late sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo said ” The hottest part of hell fire is reserved to anyone who keeps quiet when his/her people needed him/her most ” I strongly believe it is high time the people that elected me needs me most’.
‘Talking about flagrant disregard, the modern market and industrial borehole that Kabiyesi Ibese, HRM Rotimi Mulero has been requesting from Dangote plant for his community, which they have not given him over a year now, has been completed courtesy Sen. Olamilekan Solomon Adeola Yayi, the Aremo of Yewa Land and the Okanlomo of Awori Land. The industrial borehole is perfectly working now while the modern market is nearing completion’.
‘The youths have told me that I should lead the protest this month if no positive changes before month end if truly I am their representative and I have not collected money from Dangote at their detriment. This is a question of integrity. I am telling them I’m ready to lead the protest to stop activities of Dangote Cement plant in our land if lasting solution is not provided this month of November’.
‘In the last letter of appeal I wrote to Dangote on this matter, I made mention the philanthropic gesture of Dangote Group of Companies in Borno State on the flood crisis where billions of Naira were given to the state government where he has no businesses contrary to Ibese where Dangote has the largest cement plant, and which has been in darkness for 3 years by 19th November. Enough is Enough!’
‘My prayers as the representative of these communities and their mouth piece are: Final and lasting solution to the total blackout to host communities, standard and well-equipped hospital in Ibese township to look after the health of the people, standard Industrial Trucks Park to curb the menace of different unknown people in the plant corridor and also to control traffic and give privilege to other road users.
‘The MOU signed with the host communities need to be reviewed and input of Youth from these host Communities need to be taken ,more security personnel like those securing the plant inside should be employed to secure Dangote corridor as well because of the IBEDC grid which location was changed as a result of their second face conveyor belts and the percentage of intake employment (not casual workers) given to our youths needs to be reviewed because of the rising number of unemployed Youths in the host communities’, Awoso emphasised.
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