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Minister visits Dangote Cement Ibese, lauds Plant’s promotion of best practices

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Minster of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako (middle); Dangote Cement Ibese Plant Director, Azad Nawabuddin (2nd left); Dangote Senior General manager Special Duty Projects, Abdullaziz Kolo (left); Ogun state Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya (2nd right) and Member of Ogun state House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyanju Adegoke (right), during the visit of Minister of State for Environment to Dangote Cement Ibese plant Ogun state 

The Federal Government has commended the leading roles being played by the Dangote Group to complement government’s efforts to diversify the nation’s economy and the company’s dedication to promotion of best practices in all its operations.

The commendation came even as the Ogun State government said the Dangote Cement is a key driver of the state’s economy with the citing of the continent’s second biggest cement plant in the state.

Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Saloko made these remarks while on a familiarisation visit to Dangote Cement plant, Ibese, Ogun State. 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.

The Minister declared: “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.”

Dr. Salako 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 has targeted for economic diversification as the nation embarks on gradual shift from oil and gas dependency.

He said it was for this reason that Dangote Cement should be commended for the huge cement plant which is creating jobs and opportunities for export. He added that limestone mining activities, a key raw material in cement manufacturing is one such area that attention of the government is shifting to.

Dr. Salako pointed out that while mining sector has huge potential to develop the nation’s economy, many challenges are associated with mining activities. He then commended Dangote cement for its adherence to best practices, saying, “having gone round to see the operations in the plant, I give kudos to Dangote Cement for the automation and high technology-driven operations.”

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He explained that his visit was not unconnected with the Environmental Impact Assessment, which is being done on the plant Coal Mill, noting “there is a need for mining operations to be done in a sustainable manner so that the environment is not adversely affected. But I applaud Dangote Cement for being at the forefront of promoting best practices.”

The Minister said further: “For us in the ministry of environment, it means we must also sit up. Mining as it comes with its advantages, also comes with its challenges. So, we must be up and doing, as we expand the economy and grow Nigeria. We should also do it in a sustainable manner so that the environment is not adversely affected.

“We must continue in that respect to ensure that best practices are always promoted, environmental and social impact assessments are properly carried out, the stakeholders are properly involved, and the environment is properly protected so that our growth can be sustainable. That’s why we are here and I am happy that Dangote is at the forefront of that.”

While speaking also, the Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya who represented the Governor, Dapo Abiodun said the state is a beneficiary of Dangote Cement presence with the amount of levies and taxes it has paid into the state coffer.

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. He added that the state would be mote than ready to assist the company in any way possible.

In his remark, Mr. Nawabuddin took the minister through the social investments and infrastructural milestones recorded by the Plant since inception, saying the Company has been able to substantially contribute to infrastructure development and employment in the host communities.

The Plant Director told the Minister that the plant deals with 17 host communities across Yewa North and Ewekoro Local Government Areas of the state, saying they have greatly felt the impacts of the company through empowerment programmes and provision of infrastructure.

Mr. Nawabuddin told his guests that Dangote Cement Ibese Plant has 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, and paying humongous taxes and levies to the state and federal government.

The Community engagement that held after the Minister’s tour of the plant also saw the communities’ leaders thanking Dangote Cement for its Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) projects so far for the people of Yewa.

The Olu of Imasayi, Oba Kuoye Olalekan, a top monarch in Yewaland expressed his subjects’ appreciation to Dangote Cement for its developmental strides in the area. “Dangote Cement is the transformer and illumination of Yewaland”, he stated.

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Labour Party Mulls Expulsion of Its 2023 Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi

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The Labour Party has announced plans to expel its 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi over alleged “anti-party activities.”

The announcement came during a Channels TV interview on Tuesday with National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, who confirmed that a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting will be convened to recommend Obi’s expulsion, which would then be ratified at the party’s next convention.

“Secondly, let me make it very clear. We are convening a NEC meeting where he (Peter Obi) will be expelled,” Arabambi said.

“You know he was on suspension before, before he now went ahead to do the anti-party activities. You don’t go and join a political party and at the same time, you put your leg in another political party. He knows it is so constitutional for him to belong to two political parties at a time. They have been able to deceive him to their side and there he shall remain.

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“So, NEC meeting is going to be called shortly where Obi will be recommended for expulsion and that will now be confirmed finally at our convention in line with our constitution and in line with most political party constitution because when you want to expel an individual who is a member of your party but you know that is not doing things in tandem with your constitution, you go to NEC and you will recommend to expel him and now recommend the final expulsion to the convention.”

Arabambi further accused Obi of engaging in dual-party allegiances and aligning with what he described as “yahoo yahoo coalition.”

“So, Obi will be expelled from our party. He’s no longer a member of our party. It is not within his right to tell us that I’m still a member of the Labour Party and at the same time he will not be hobnobbing, you know, with what we call the yahoo yahoo coalition. We are not going to accept that.”

Peter Obi, who secured over 6.1 million votes, finishing third in the February 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party, together with Governor Alex Otti, are aligned with a faction of the Labour Party led by Senator Usman Nenadi.

In contrast, the faction to which Arabambi belongs is led by Julius Abure, who controls the official secretariat. This faction had earlier suspended Governor Otti, Senators Kingibe and Nwokocha, and others, citing anti-party conduct.

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2027 : “I Will No Longer Support Tinubu, Yoruba Traitors—Asari-Dokubo

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Alhaji Mujaheed Dokubo Asari

 

Former Niger Delta militant and leader of the defunct Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, has declared that he will no longer support Yoruba politicians because they have betrayed him and the Ijaw people.

In a video shared on social media platforms on Monday, Dokubo insisted that he is now politically aligned with politicians from Northern Nigeria because they are not traitors like their Yoruba counterparts.

The ex-militant accused Yoruba politicians and elite of turning against their long-standing allies from the Niger Delta after benefiting politically from them.

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“The Yorubas have betrayed us. After all we did, they turned their backs on us,” Dokubo said in the video.

Comtuinug, he stated that given recent political realignments and what he perceives as a lack of loyalty from the South-West, he feels more positioned to build strategic alliances with Northern leaders, who he claims have shown more consistency and respect.

“The past sacrifices made by the Ijaw for the southern solidarity were not reciprocated,” he noted.

He referenced political cooperation during previous elections and governance battles as moments where the Ijaw stood firm for the South, only to be left out in the cold.

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Hon. Abubakar Bichi donates 13 buses, 11 tractors to varsities, constituents

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Hon. Abubakar Kabir Bichi, the Member representing Bichi Federal Constituency and the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation facilitated the distribution of 13 Brand new 16-seater buses to universities and colleges of education in Kano and 11 tractors and combine harvesters to constituents.

Representatives from various higher institutions across Kano State attended the event of the distribution, which held on Monday, July 7 in Bichi town.

Hon. Abubakar Kabir Abubakar Bichi was represented at the event by the Chairman Education Committee, Dr. Habibu Usman Abdu, Senior Legislative Aides Sabo Ilyasu Saye, Zahraddeen Kabir as well as his other staff.

Beneficiary higher institutions of learning include Bayero University (BUK), which received 2 buses, Northwest university, Kano (2) two buses, Aliko Dangote Science university (2) two buses, FCE (T) Bichi (2) two buses, Yusuf Maitama Sule Federal University, (1) one bus, Ibrahim Ayagi College of Health Science Dawakin Tofa, Aminu Kano College of Islamic Legal Studies, (1) one bus, Kano Polytechnic Central Admin (1) one bus, Sa’adatu Rimi college of Education (1) one bus.

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However, eleven tractors and 4 combine harvesters to eleven wards and across Bichi Local Government Area.

Hon. Abubakar Kabir Abubakar Bichi said that the gesture aimed at easing transportation challenges on campuses and ensuring effective learning.

He added that the eleven tractors and combined harvesters improve and strengthen the farming system in the eleven wards in Bichi Local Government Area

The event highlighted Hon. Abubakar’s dedication to supporting the education sector through practical interventions aimed enhancing mobility and logistics within academic environments.

Such interventions especially on education and many others are the reason the Federal University, Kashere, Gombe state and the Federal University Dutsin-ma, Katsina conferred honorary doctorate degrees on Abubakar Kabir Bichi.

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