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Zambia Seeks Dangote’s Assistance in Developing Fertiliser Industry

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, Dangote Cement Zambia, Director, Lynda Mataka, President/CE of Dangote Industries limited, Aliko Dangote, Zambia Minister of Commerce, Trade & Trade: Chipoka Mulenga, Zambia High Commissioner to Nigeria, Oscar Shitima, During the Zambia Minister Visit the President/CE of Dangote Industries Limited, in his Residence, Victoria Island Lagos, on Saturday 20, August 2022.

 

 

The Zambian Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Chipoka Mulenga, has sought the assistance of the President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote in the development of his country’s agricultural sector.

 

Chipoka Mulenga, who led a delegation from Zambia on tour of the 3.00 million metric tonnes Dangote Fertiliser plant at the weekend, called for a collaboration between Dangote Group and the Zambian government in the establishment of fertiliser plant in the southern African country.

Mulenga expressed belief that any investment in fertiliser production will not only help the country to be self-sufficient in food production, it will also help grow the Zambian economy as well as that of the neigbouring countries.

According him, the Zambian government has created an enabling environment for local and foreign investment through great incentives to attract investment in all sectors of the economy.

“The Zambian government in the last budget made some pronouncements which focus on value addition, industrialisation, skill enhancement and development. We have a huge youthful population who are ready to work if given the opportunity to be productive,” he said.

He described Zambia as Africa’s new investment destination because of its stable political system, stable macroeconomic environment and investment protection guarantees.

He said that Zambia is strong in agriculture and even seeking to become stronger through having its own Fertiliser plant. “Rather than continue to import Fertiliser from anywhere, we want Aliko Dangote to come and establish plant in Zambia. The country’s fertiliser consumption has increased tremendously in the last few years and has continued to increase. I am happy that we no longer have to go outside of Africa to seek investors. Dangote has been able to change the narratives through his investment in cement production across Africa.  We now have Africans investing in the Africa continent. Dangote has already established the biggest cement plant in Zambia. Dangote Cement Zambia has a remarkable portfolio and is bringing positive change to the cement industry, not only in Zambia, but also to other neigbouring countries,” he added.

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Mulenga commended the President/CE of Dangote Group, Mr. Aliko Dangote for investing massively in fertiliser production in Nigeria. ”This could only happen because the company put  the right people, right leadership, right technical skills and the right management in place to have such a remarkable result. This Fertiliser Plant is not only serving the needs of Nigeria, but also attracting foreign exchange into the continent. This is a good demonstration that we can have this kind of investment in any part of Africa, which can grow and be beneficial to other countries.”

He therefore enjoined Nigerians to guard Dangote investments and other local investments in Nigeria. “Let all Nigerians support this investment to grow from strength to strength. This is amazing and we will like to have a similar investment in Zambia.”

President Buhari names Dangote as Chairman of National End Malaria Council

Speaking at the end of the tour, Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Fertiliser Limited, Mr. Vishwajit Sinha said demand for Urea fertiliser in the Nigerian market and beyond remains robust and is expected to continue to grow.

He said the $2.5 billion fertiliser complex would make Nigeria self-sufficient in fertiliser production with excess capacity exported to other African countries and the rest of the world.

“The key focus of Dangote Fertiliser has always been to cater to the growing fertiliser demand of the domestic market in Nigeria and also to work towards bringing a green revolution in the country so as to contribute towards food security for Nigeria. The surplus production after supplying the domestic market is exported,” he added.

Sinha stated that Dangote Fertiliser is positioned to take advantage of the Federal Government’s policy, which focuses on agriculture as one of the keys to unlock the diversification of the Nigerian economy.

“As population is increasing, food consumption is changing. Many countries’ economic progress is linked to agricultural development, which is the best form of inclusive development. For all the countries that I have been to, I can see the potential of agriculture in the entire value chain from the farm to the kitchen in Nigeria.

“Dangote Fertiliser has the potential to transform the entire African region. Definitely it will have a huge value on the country,” he added.

Sinha described Dangote Fertiliser plant as a company which will not only increase food-sufficiency in Nigeria, but also drastically reduce the level of unemployment and youth restiveness in the country through the generation of direct and indirect employment.

 

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210 Trillion Scandal:LP Presidential Candidate ,Peter Obi Describes Nigeria as Crime Scene

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Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, has described Nigeria as a “crime scene” following revelations of massive financial irregularities in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).

In a statement on Friday, Obi said the Senate’s recent audit findings on the NNPC between 2017 and 2023 revealed “₦210 trillion in financial irregularities,” including “₦103 trillion in so-called ‘accrued expenses’ and ₦107 trillion in unaccounted ‘receivables.’”

“There is no documentation. No accountability. No consequences,” Obi said.

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He noted that Nigeria’s total national budget within the same period amounted to ₦88.01 trillion, which is less than half of the missing or questionable funds.

His words: “This is not just another scandal, it is a clear and damning confirmation of a nation held hostage by monumental corruption.”

Obi described the development as “a criminal institutionalised betrayal of the Nigerian people” and warned that it poses “a grave threat to the future of the society our children will live in.”

“No responsible nation can continue to function like this without confronting this truth.

“This criminality masquerading as governance must be stopped and dismantled for a better Nigeria,” he added.

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Iran Appoints New Chief Of Intelligence After Israel Killed Two Predecessors

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Iran has appointed a new chief of intelligence at its Revolutionary Guards on Thursday, the official Irna news agency says, after his predecessor was killed in an Israeli strike last week.

Major General Mohammad Pakpour, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), appointed Brigadier General Majid Khadami as the new head of its intelligence division, Irna says.

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He replaces Mohammed Kazemi, who was killed on Sunday alongside two other Revolutionary Guards officers — Hassan Mohaghegh and Mohsen Bagheri — in an Israeli strike.

Pakpour had himself been recently appointed after Israel killed his predecessor Hossein Salami in a strike on June 13.

“During the years that our martyred commanders Kazemi and Mohaqeq led the IRGC Intelligence, we witnessed significant growth in all aspects of intelligence within the IRGC,” says Pakpour.

Upon his appointment by Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei Friday, Pakpour threatened to open “the gates of hell” in retaliation for Israel’s attacks.

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Stun Gun Scandal: Pastor Adefarasin Faces Criminal Probe Over Viral Video, Says Lagos CP

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The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, has confirmed that televangelist Pastor Paul Adefarasin faces criminal charges after pointing a stun gun at another person, an act he said is punishable under Nigerian law even if the device is non-lethal. Jimoh spoke on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday while providing an update on the ongoing probe.

“Nothing is an offence under the law, except what the law states to be an offence,” Jimoh explained. “Even under the Fire Arms Act, if you fashion out anything that is not metal, like wood, and you make it look like a gun, and you use that guise to take possession of property from another person, you have committed armed robbery. So, pointing a stun gun at another individual and sending that threat and fear to such a person at that particular time constitutes an offence. So, the police are doing everything in line with the law.”

According to Jimoh, the stun gun recovered from Adefarasin qualifies as prohibited riot control equipment under Nigerian statutes. Although the pastor has been released on bail, the commissioner emphasized that the investigation remains active. “He was invited; a letter of invitation was sent to him. In fact, we had prepared our warrant of arrest, in case he refused to comply with the invitation. But he turned himself in and was questioned by a team of investigators who were already on the matter before he turned himself in.”

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The video that sparked the inquiry surfaced earlier this month, showing Adefarasin seated in a Range Rover holding what many believed to be a firearm as he spoke to someone outside the vehicle. The pastor has since taken to his official X account to dispute any wrongdoing: “You might be aware of a video circulating on social media showing me in what some have misunderstood as brandishing a firearm. I want to assure you — that was certainly not a firearm, and at no point did I point such at anyone.”

Jimoh further revealed that the individual allegedly threatened in the clip, a content creator whose address the police have obtained—will be summoned to provide a statement. “It is equally on social media that the person he pointed it to is a content creator and we are taking a statement from him as soon as he equally gets to us because we have got his address and we’re going to get him to make a statement in that regard.”

The commissioner concluded by promising transparency once the inquiry is complete: “The pastor is still under investigation, though he has been granted bail, but we will continue with the investigation and make the outcome of the investigation public for all Nigerians to know.”

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