TheCable

Youths in Okpella, a community in Edo state, insist that Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, must build a cement factory in their local community.

The youths took to the streets after in response to hearsays that Dangote Group was pulling out of his multi-million dollar investment plan from the community.

Protesting to the palace of the paramount ruler of Okpella Kingdom, Yesufu Dirisu, the youths spotted numerous placards calling on their elders to ask Dangote to return to the community.

Christopher Kadiri, the president of the Okpella Youths forum, said Dangote is an international investor who must be allowed to invest in the community.

“We are not a cursed people; why should we say an investor like Dangote should not come to Okpella,” he queried.

“This is an international investor that even nations and heads of states are begging to come and invest in their countries. Now the same man says he wanted to come and build his cement plant here and we are hearing that some people are blocking him.

“We want to put it on record that we the youths are ready and are in support of Dangote to come and invest here. It is for our own good, we want employment, we want infrastructural development.

“Let Okpella enter into the world map as other cities in Nigeria. No investment is ever too much and many as con come and set up businesses here, we welcome them.”

“Your royal majesty and elders of our community, please help us tell Dangote that he has our 100 per cent support, we will maintain peace and tranquillity, the atmosphere is conducive to his business.

“This is a golden opportunity; we can’t allow it to slip out of our hands. Posterity will not forgive us all if Dangote should take this plant to another place, Please, tell him, the youths, the elders, the women, children and unborn ones in Okpella are calling on him to come quickly. It is long overdue even”.

Richard David, the secretary of Okpella traditional council, said dismissed the insinuations that the council does not want Dangote.

“He is welcome and we promised him he would not be disappointed. We pledged our solidarity and cooperation to him and his business. There is peace here and no threat at all to him. He should come quickly,” David said.

“Banks will come; other businesses will open. We are for Dangote Cement, none of us is against him.”

Dirisu, who is the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella, said nobody in Okpella can stop Dangote from coming to set up a cement plant in the community.

“I don’t want to be a ruler over undeveloped Community, I want a good life for my people. I want the youths to be employed, I want our women to have something doing, you can’t imagine the ripple effect of Dangote Cement here in Okpella.”

“we need him now more than ever before. Let it be on record that there is no bad blood between Okpella and Dangote. He is a friend of our people, he is my friend, he is our governor’s friend. We love him, he has nothing to fear.”

The new plants to be set up in Itori and Okpella are expected to add nine million metric tonnes per annum to the company’s current local cement output of 29.25 million metric tonnes.