For Nasarawa, time to benefit from Dangote industrialisation drive
In Nasarawa, the people are upbeat about the arrival of the Dangote Group to stamp its industrial footprint on the state. They can’t but be: wherever the Dangote Group has landed in Nigeria - and even beyond - with an industrial package, it has not only provided thousands of jobs, the host communities have benefited from loads of corporate social responsibilities.
The President the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, had in March brought good tidings to the state when, during a courtesy call on Governor Tanko AlMakura, he disclosed a plan by the Group to invest N217 billion on a sugar processing plant in Nasarawa State.
The huge sugar investment plan in Nasarawa is coming on the heels of other investments in rice farming and processing, and a coal plant in the state that the Dangote Group had last year announced.
The Dangote sugar plan for Nasarawa is quite ambitious. The expansive plant, to be sited in Tunga village of Awe local government area of the state, is conceived to be the biggest in West Africa and will occupy 60,000 hectares of land. Dangote estimated the plant will produce 480,000 tonnes of sugar, representing 27 per cent of Nigeria’s total consumption. The project will be capable of employing more than 30,000 people, and about another 10,000 outgrowers that Dangote has promised would be given funds, inputs and all necessary equipment.
The Dangote Group has made it a policy of incorporating into its farming investments outgrowers that it empowers with funds, inputs and equipment as a way of providing employment for large numbers of people.
Dangote has given the plant’s host communities something to salivate on after telling Al-Makura he intended to build primary and secondary schools in those communities once the project takes off, as well as refurbish the existing ones. Teachers in those schools can also look forward to an upgrade in their welfare. The philanthropist also said he would provide water and electricity, and equip their hospitals and clinics.
Nasarawa State itself is poised to benefit from a minimum of 50 megawatts of power, which is expected of to be generated from the bagasse of the husks of sugar canes, which will, in turn, woo other investors.
“There is no waste in sugar, so in a nutshell, we will be able to generate power of up to 96mw. Over 50mw will actually be distributed to the network. What we are trying to do is work with the distribution company here on how to equally improve power supply,” he said.
It was an excited Al-Makura who quickly responded that his administration would perfect arrangement on land allocation for the project.
“We are very lucky because with the construction of this sugar factory, Nasarawa State will be captured in the map of cities that engage in mass production of sugar in the world. It is in the interest of the good people of our state to jealously guide and guard this initiative when established,’’ he said.
Harping on the CSR component of the project, the governor said, “You can see he is already talking about the welfare of the community where this project will be located. So you can see we are getting virtually everything from the Dangote Group at no cost.
“Due to the demand for speedy commencement of the project, the administration has approved a standard road network from Awe to Tunga for easy access to the project location. I am happy to say that the area is about 25 kilometres and work is ongoing and before the end of the year, it will be completed and ready for use.
“In addition, we are discussing with the National Inland Water Authority to provide flying boats to ease transportation in the area,” the governor, assuring that the state government would provide adequate security protect Dangote’s workers.”
Dangote goodies are not raining for Nasarawa State, they are pouring. In an earlier assessment, last year tour of the investment potential in the state, he had told the people of his plan to invest in rice production and a coal plant in Obi, Awe and Doma local government areas of the state.
Dangote, represented by Mr Abdullahi Sule, said the company had concluded plans to establish a rice mill in the state, and would be empowering outgrowers in conforming with its business philosophy to enhance production.
The rice project in Nasarawa will be adding production and employment figures to the group’s similar projects in Adamawa and Taraba states, which had generated over 25,000 jobs, as Dangote strives to fulfil his resolve to substantially reduce Nigeria’s food imports and boost food security.
He noted that the company would also explore the huge coal deposit in the state to power the group’s factories. Dangote said that considering the high cost of gas to power the factories, the company had decided to look inward by exploring coal as a cheaper energy source.
“The three Dangote cement plants in the country have the capacity to produce over 25 million tonnes of cement, so you can imagine the amount of coal the plants will require,” he said, adding that he was constituting a team to work out the details of the coal exploration in Nasarawa in commercial quantity.
Al-Makura was optimistic the investment would generate massive employment and create wealth for the people of the state. He said there were more than 70 different solid mineral deposits across the state waiting to be explored and called on investors to take advantage of them.
The governor, lauding the decision of the Dangote group to tap into coal, said Nasarawa had over 30 million tonnes of high quality coal in commercial quantity.
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly is ecstatic about Dangote’s arrival on the Nasarawa industrial scene. The Speaker of the House, Alhaji Ibrahim BalarabeAbdullahi, commending Dangote, said the factory would generate employment for youths and ensure economic development of the state.
Balarabe-Abdullahi promised full legislative backing to ensure the success of the project in the state.
He said, “When the N217bn sugar factory becomes operational, it will create multiplicity of jobs for not less than 30,000 people and increase the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR). It will also boost the socio-economic development of the state and enable us to fight poverty, among other benefits.
“We also assure Dangote company of adequate legislative backing and commend him for investing such a huge amount of money to establish a sugar factory in Nasarawa State.”
The Speaker urged other wealthy Nigerians to emulate Dangote’s humility and philanthropic spirit, saying that people must rise to develop the country.