Within 36 months (2021-2023), Dangote Cement Limited has paid over N110 billion as tax to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Ogun State government, documents obtained by DAILY POST have shown.
The documents showed that both Ogun and the federal governments got a total of 32,462, 664,910.08 in the year 2021. While Ogun got N921, 094, 294.6, the federal government got 31,541,570,615.45.
Also in 2022, they shared 39,354, 705,409.22, with the government at the center getting, 37,703, 832,035.03; the state government got 1,650,873, 374.19.
Both governments also shared 38,715, 913, 399.70 in 2023. Ogun got 2,238,591,155.26, while the federal government got 36,477,322, 244.44.
By implication, both the federal and the state governments have gotten N105,722,724,894.97 and N4, 810, 558,824.02, respectively, from the mining company between 2021 – 2023.
Dangote Ibese plant sits on a large expanse of land spanning 17 communities in Yewa north local government area of Ogun State. The plant produces 12 million metric tons of cement per annum across its four lines.
But despite the huge sum the government gets from the company, locals have continually suffered hardship and absence of basic amenities.
A visit to some of the host communities showed the devastating state of the area.
Many of the roads are almost impassable and need urgent reconstruction.
Some of the bad roads include; Ayetoro-Abeokuta, Joga Orile, Igan Okoto-Sawonjo-Igbogila, Ijoun-Igbokofi, Ijoun-Ijale-Ketu-Aworo-Pedepo-Tobolo roads, Oja odan-Iselu-Ijoun Road, Ayetoro-Saala-Orile-Ijaka-Oke-Ijoun Road.
Others are: Oko-rori Road; Oke Ola Road; Isale Araba in Ayetoro; Ayetoro Igan Road, among others.
The rural dwellers are also allegedly subjected to health hazards and poverty.
In fact, Ogun residents do refer to Dangote’s host local government and its surrounding four other local government areas in the western senatorial district of the state (except for one) as the most impoverished in the state.
A motorcyclist, who simply identified himself as Idris, who took this reporter round, complained of health hazards caused by the terrible emission of cement dust from the mining company.
Idris said as soon as he gets enough funds to relocate from the area, he would not hesitate.
He explained that, “My brother is currently in the hospital in Lagos. He fell sick early this month (January) and I took him to a health care center but he wasn’t improving.
“Then, I had to call my aunt in Lagos, so we can move him to her place in Lagos. When he got to Lagos, I learnt he has a disease that has to do with his lungs and we are suspecting that this dust must have caused it.”
Another resident, Raheem Adeosun, noted that locals were angry at the company, emphasising indigenes’ neglect in the company’s recruitment plan.
Adeosun added that the company was only interested in milking the area’s natural resources and not indigenes’ wellbeing.
“Is it not obvious? Extremely small number of residents, especially indigenes work in the plant despite operating on our land.
“But since they deal with the government and the high and mighty in the country, we are left to our fate. God will deliver us one day.
“Even our people who were employed are there as casual or very junior staff working as slaves in their fatherland,” he further lamented.
Over eight other respondents also toed Adeosun’s line of thoughts.
A laboratory study has shown that inhaling cement dust may cause serious health hazards.
This study observed that the majority of cement factory workers and close dwellers suffered from different types of respiratory complications, such as a cough, asthma and lung infections.
Environmental laws
Findings by this reporter revealed that the multi-national company is also being accused of committing environmental offenses, a development the state government is currently unhappy with.
However, the company is of the belief that the environmental offenses were caused by locals’ disobedience.
Speaking at a function recently, the state commissioner for environment, Ola Oresanya, expressed dissatisfaction with the impact of the plant on its environment.
The obviously angry commissioner said, “The communities here escalate so many things to us in the state and whenever we come here what we see is deplorable.
“Not inside but the external environment, that is our main concern. Things are always deplorable here. The entrance, the surroundings are not good enough.
“We need to work together and you need to listen to the state government.”
In a swift response to the commissioner, Head of Social Performance of Dangote group, Wakeel Olayiwola, said the state of the environment was not a fault that should be heaped on the company, insisting that whatever happens outside the company is the doing of the locals.
The commissioner countered Olayiwola saying, ”Maybe when you are sanctioned, you will know what we are talking about.”
Commenting in an interview, the Minister of State on Environment, Iziaq Salako, who was at the location, called for more cooperation between the company and the state government.
Salako admitted that mining comes with its attendant negative impact on the environment.
“I have not only toured the plant but I have also had some engagement with the top management and what we discovered is that there is a need for more cooperation in terms of the operators here operating better, especially with the government here at the sub national government.
“There is also a need for the community to understand that there is no gain without pain.
“Mining activities naturally come with some challenges that impact the environment and we have made it clear to the operators that as much as we are pushing that, they too must ensure that these negative impacts are reduced to the barest minimum,” the minister said.
