A former Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, has asked the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, to produce the approval he got for the cement factories demolished during his administration in the state.
The ex- governor said this through a statement signed by his media aide, Lanre Akinwale, on Monday in reaction to Dangote’s claim that his almost $800m Itori cement factory was supposed to have been long completed and commissioned but for the opposition of ex-governor to the project.
PUNCH Online reports Dangote, accused former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, of demolishing his cement plant twice during his tenure.
Dangote said the factory was demolished twice by the former governor causing the construction a major setback.
The statement noted that the demolition was carried out by the appropriate ministry after the company became adamant about constructing the building without approval.
It read, “We have just seen footage in which the Chairman of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, alleged that his cement factory in Itori, Ogun State, was demolished twice while Senator Ibikunle Amosun served as governor.
“We assume that an average person understands how government functions through Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, with each exercising mandates on specific responsibilities, including approvals for physical development.
“It is on this basis that we want to appeal to Alhaji Dangote to avail the public of the requisite approvals for the construction of the structures he alleged were demolished. This will, at least, help the public to put the issue in proper context and for us to know what exactly his grouse is.”
Akinwale added that there couldn’t have been two governments in the state and “Dangote, therefore, could not operate above the law or under a different set of laws.”
He recalled that Dangote “praised the Amosun administration to high heavens for its promotion of investments in Ogun State and for facilitating the commencement of the cement factory after eight years of frustration as he then alleged by other administrations.
“Dangote is just one of the many concerns in Ogun State, and the Amosun administration is on record to have attracted over 500 companies to the state and was acknowledged by the World Bank as one of the top three states ensuring Ease-of-Doing-Business in Nigeria.”
