An average Kogite will be happy with surface analysis of the trending log-jam between Kogi State House of Assembly (KSHA) and Dangote Cement.
The KSHA has sealed off Dangote Cement Obajana on weighty issue of breach and usurpation in respect of Obajana Cement Factory, now Dangote Cement, situated in Obajana community in the Western Senatorial District of Kigi State.
To start with, as noble as the fight against Dangote is, the sealing of the premises of the company, by Kogi Assembly, is condemnable. Maker of laws should not be the breaker of same. Such action makes our law makers in this state look like tyros.
Do we have law makers that don’t know, basic principles in law? It will be unfortunate. lf all they do is rubber-stamp the will of Mr Governor.
This is an arm of government that is supposed to have a constitutional responsibility of acting as check on the executive arm of government.
They have reduced themselves to government appointees. I am not sure we ever had it this bad in the history of this state. Well, issue of Kogi Assembly is a subject of another day for me.
Now. on the face-off:
Well, as much as I am happy. that, at last, someone is being kicked off his slumber to act, at his eleventh hour, there are questions bothering my mind:
1) Why now? Why is oversight functions on Dangote coming now 20 years down?
2) Are all our leaders both past and present, so naive, that they did not discover the breach of contractual agreement in 20 years?
3) Are we saying our leaders never visited Obajana community, to witness the ecological degradation and environmental pollution the people are subjected to since 2002?
4) Has Dangote ever payed Kogi State, its shares in respect of the (too little) 10% equity as stated in the contract statement?
5) If no, why?
6) If yes, how much on an average, Who has been collecting it and what concrete empirical use have they put the sum to since 2002.
7) I am particularly interested in knowing if Dangote has given Kogi State, any dividend since Governor Bello assumed office? If yes, how much?
If none, i want to know, if Governor Bello is just studying documents, after seven years in office?
All these latter questions are important for us to know that this battle is not a mere vedanta (or maybe, do me, I do you)
Like someone opined that, the whole drama is a play out of events around the failed presidential bid of someone who did not get the support of Dangote. Well, that is none of our problem in Kogi, “Na dem-dem”.
The truth is however that, this fight must not end under the carpet.
Government needs to do somethings urgently if it is sincere in this fight.
The State Government shoul unseal Dangote, then, carefully select people of noble conscience amongst citizen of Kogi, into a committee on enquiry.
Give them the task of investigating what has been happening to our common patrimony since 2002. There and then, We things will get better going forward.
If contacted, i am ready to serve in the committee Free of charge
Pastor Stanley Ajileye,
