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 Salako 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 that, “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.”

Salako 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, saying, limestone mining activities, a key raw material in cement manufacturing is one such area that attention of the government is shifting to.

While speaking also, the Ogun State commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya who represented 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, Plant Director, Mr. Azad Nawabuddin said the company has been able to substantially contribute to infrastructure development and employment in the host communities.

Nawabuddin added 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, saying “Dangote Cement is the transformer and illumination of Yewaland.”

Culled from Daily Times Nigeria