Late President Umaru Musa Yar’ adua, during his reign, he refused to see Dangote even with all his lobbyists.
President Yar ‘Adua was quick to tell him Dangote to stay away from his Government. President Yar‘ adua issued 6 companies representing the six geopolitical zones three licenses each; Bagged cement License, Bulk Cement Licence and Backward Integration License. True to their promise, these six companies including Bua, Ibeto and Madewell cements, were able to bring down the price of cement to less than N800 per bag from over N1500 per 50kg bag then. Dangote became so frustrated because he couldn’t compete, always wanting to sell his products at exorbitant rates.
Unfortunately for Nigeria, President Yar’ Adua died and President Goodluck Jonathan became the President of Nigeria.
Aliko Dangote petition Goodluck Jonathan against these six companies requesting for the stoppage of cement importation and that only the Backward Integration License should be left to operate.
This petition was granted just because him Dangote had used the same Government support of President Obasanjo to build just one cement factory but was still importing.
Let it be known that as at time of that petition, the cost of landing cement in Nigeria was less than N600 (all in) per bag. So at N800 per bag, the companies were still making profit.
The Government of President Goodluck Jonathan granted Dangote’s petition and the Bagged and Bulk cement licenses where withdrawn.
Ibeto Cement, Madewell cement and the rest lost fortune as even the ones they were offloading at the Jetties were asked by the Nigerian customs to be shipped back to their ports of origin.
And behold Dangote became the Lord of the ring. Central Bank left a silent instruction with the commercial banks never to fund Dangote competitors.
He didn’t stop there, he again Petitioned the Federal Government to stop the importation of clinker the moment his Clinker Factory at Obajana was ready and he lied to the Government that his Clinker Factory capacity was enough to service the rest Cement Factories in Nigeria.
The Federal Government granted his petition by increasing the duty on Clinker import from 10% to 40% and then to 50% discouraging other manufacturers from importing Clinker to produce cement.
Clinker is a blend of Limestone and Clay and it’s 80% of Cement. It’s only blended with 20% of Gypsum to produce cement unless where special cement that requires Iron ore application is required like the Cement used for Oil Well cementation.
A company in Lagos named Great Eagle Cement in Ikorodu Lagos belonging to M L. Lee Group ( a Chinese company that owns over 60 factories in Nigeria providing over 30,000 jobs to Nigerians) sent for me from Abuja to discuss with me on what can be done to help them as Dangote had stopped them from importing Clinker causing them to stop production of cement.
Before I left for Lagos I went to the Federal Ministry of Finance and my finding was too heavy for any Nigerian to bear with Dangote or forgive him but I won’t dwell on that now.
The Chinese couldn’t do what they were asked to do so they could enjoy waiver like Dangote.
The Chinese said they will rather build their Clinker factory on the Limestone deposit they had acquired in Ogun State with C of O. The same Dangote used the then Governor Gbenga Daniel to stop them from establishing the plant.
The same thing that he did to Ibeto using the then Governor of Ebonyi State on Nkalagu Cement. The result is what we see today, a situation where one man is monopolizing every commodity in a market size of over 200 million people.
Just recently he Dangote petitioned the Federal Government against his own brother Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu of Bua Group requesting that Bua’s Sugar Refinery in Port Harcourt be stopped from production.
But he Dangote met his match there and the reason is obvious; Bua has what he has, knew what he knew and was ready to fight him to death, so the emirates settled the two brothers.
But who wil do that for the rest who are majorly Southerners?
The Dangote refineries is another Dangerous corner kick Nigerians must take a cursory look and critical review of all the facts that have brought the refineries to it’s present level of development.
Dangote may soon announce to all Nigerians that he cannot sell a liter of refined petrol below one thousand naira per liter .
Let’s all keep our fingers crossed and wait patiently as events unfold between now and next month .
I repeat, the day Nigerians realize who their true enemy is, that’s the day Nigeria will progress as a Nation but for now, the youth of Nigeria and some uninformed elites, still see Dangote as their role model and it’s unfortunate.
Source :Maazi Obinna Agommuo.
Happy night rest and God bless all our distinguished Elders in Jesus precious name🙏
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