Youths warn Gov. Alia’s administration to stop imposing multiple taxations on Dangote Cement company

From Attah Ede, Makurdi

A group on the platform of ‘Benue youths Alliance for Good Governance’, on Thursday, warned Benue State Government and other authorities to stop imposing multiple taxations on Dangote Cement company with the aim of frustrating the company to leave the State.

Recall that Dangote Cement PLC, has one of its plants at Tse-Kucha, Gboko Local Government of the State and its business outlets have the highest employer of labour in the State after the federal, state and local governments.

The group in a statement signed by the national President, John Yiye and the secretary, Solomon Oche and made available to newsmen in Makurdi, alleged that, the present administration has perfected plans to use multiple taxation, including those not currently enforced in the State to frustrate the operations of Dangote Cement PLC.

They further alleged that the previous administration used same tactics and frustrated an agro-commodities company, Olam Nigeria Limited, to move the largest rice farm in Africa from Benue to nearby Nassarawa State, saying that they would resist any attempt to frustrate the Dangote Cement company to leave the State.

“We have been reliably informed that the government intends to also use the thugs recruited under the guise of Benue State Central Youths to harass staff of the company, demanding for “matching grand” and other illegal levies.

“Disturbed by the discovery, we decided to investigate the reasons for the decision to frustrate Dangote out of Benue State.

“We were further shocked when we discovered that the plan against Dangote is to pave the way for influential public figures to acquire the cement company through a proxy.

“We shall expose this proxy when the need arises. We have taken a careful look at the planned action against Dangote and we have arrived at the conclusion that it is not in the interest of Benue State.

“We are all aware of the contribution of Dangote to the economy and well being of Benue citizens. For the records, Dangote is the highest tax payer in Benue State, thereby contributing significantly to the Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) of Benue State.

“Dangote Cement PLC has awarded scholarships to students from not just the host community of Mbayion, but even those from other communities in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, studying in tertiary institutions across the country.

“In the area of health,the company has also contributed significantly to communities in the state. Currently, the company has built a hospital at Ihungwa-Nor, Mbatiav, Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State that is currently awaiting commissioning.

“Dangote Cement Plant in Gboko has provided direct and indirect jobs to indigenes of Benue State. Sending Dangote away will lead to job loss and increase the percentage of unemployed people in the state, which will further worsen the insecurity in the state which the Alia administration is clueless on how to confront”, the statement said.

The group therefore called on all indigenes of the State and all lovers of the State to rise and condemn the plot to frustrate Dangote out of Benue State as those plotting to do it have not shown capacity to manage even their families, talk more of managing a gigantic cement company, that is known across Africa.

“We are yet to recover from the departure of OLAM from Benue State. We can’t afford the same with Dangote.

“We call on the Alia administration to focus on creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the state by formulating policies that enhance business and industrial growth and tackling the insecurity in the state.

“As citizens and stakeholders of Benue State, we warn that any attempt to worsen the poverty in Benue State by frustrating Dangote out of Benue State will be resisted by the good people of the state’ the youths stressed.