Obajana to reopen, Kogi State Government to court

An agreement has been reached between Kogi State Government and Dangote Group to reopen the Obajana cement plant in Nigeria.

Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the National Security Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday.

“Government is committed to the provision of employment to its citizens rather than closing factories that will make people unemployed and we do hope that the parties involved will respect this agreement and come to terms with the memorandum of understanding signed by the parties involved,” he said.

The agreement was reached under the supervision of the chief of staff of the president, Pro Ibrahim Gambari, he added.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said the council has ordered the reopening of the cement plant. “The council noted the development in Kogi and has ordered the reopening of the cement factory and advised that all issues relating to that industry or factory should be resolved legally, nobody must take law into their hands, either as a government or an individual.

“We are committed to guaranteeing and providing employment for Nigerians, so whatever will, in any way, hinder that must be discouraged,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kogi State Government resolved the previous day to take the cement producer to court over ownership of the cement plant. Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello, had made it clear to the House that the state would not back down on reclaiming the asset. Stakeholders decided to pursue legal action in “the interest of the people and generations to come”.