Buhari to commission Dangote fertilizer plant Tuesday

COMFORT EKELEME

President Muhammadu Buhari will Tuesday in Lagos commission the Dangote 3.0 million metric tonnes per annum Urea Fertilizer plant.

The president will also tour the Dangote TPA Fertilizer Plant and inspect the 650,000 BPO and Lekki Deep-sea Port.

The events will hold at the Dangote Fertilizer Limited, Km 15 Lekki Coastal Road, Okunrayo, Dangote Industrial Freee Zone, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.

President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, had recently described Dangote Refinery and Fertiliser projects as the best industrialised project to happen to Africa.

He said these projects, which are far beyond the expectation of his team and himself, would positively affect the economic growth and development of not only Nigeria but Africa as a continent.

He described Aliko Dangote as an enigma, who should be honoured in Africa and even beyond for his passion, vision, and determination to develop and ensure that Africa, as a continent, is out of the poverty circle; with his aggressive employment generation scheme across most African countries.

According to him, “One of the things I admire the most about Alhaji Dangote is that he actually believes in Nigeria, and he invests his money in Nigeria. He believes in Africa and invests in Africa.

“Nobody could invest the type of billions of dollars that is here unless the person not only has the vision but also the commitment and passion for his country. We are extremely proud of you and of your commitment to the continent.

“Aliko is quite an inspirational and visionary business leader and for anybody to have done what I have seen here, I think that person deserves world-class kudos for that… I see a company that I will proudly call Africa’s growth accelerator company. With this project, we see an acceleration of how to reduce imports. We see an acceleration on how to have an outbound on export; a value chain development and how to compete regionally and globally”, the top banker said.

The 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery would stimulate economic development in Nigeria. According to Edwin, Dangote Petroleum Refinery can meet 100 per cent of the Nigerian requirement of all liquid products (Gasoline, Diesel, Kerosene, and Aviation Jet), and also have a surplus of each of these products for export.

“It will also create a market for $11 billion per annum of Nigerian crude and foreign exchange savings/earnings $9.9 billion. He noted that “we have impacted on job creation with 3,580 Nigerian personnel on-site, excluding employment by the various contractors and subcontractors at the site”, he said.

In another development, President Muhammadu Buhari, Sunday strongly condemned as “deeply distressing” the destruction in Imo State, of buildings and assets of the Police and the home of Professor George Obiozor, the President General of the Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, and a leading voice of moderation in the affairs of the country.

The President, who strongly condemned the violence in the subregion urged everyone to maintain peace, adding that the law and order capabilities in the Southeast are being strengthened.

While this is being done, President Buhari called on the people of Imo State in particular and the subregion in general to maintain peace as the police and other agencies are working to ensure that normalcy is restored at the earliest.

The President extends sympathies to the police authorities over the losses of men and materials, and to Professor Obiozor who he urged to maintain his commitment to the peace and oneness of the Federation against these senseless terrorists.

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