TheCable

The Kogi state government says an agreement is yet to be reached over the ownership of the Obajana Cement Company.

Kingsley Fanwo, Kogi’s commissioner for information and communications, said this in a statement on Friday.

He said the government has also resolved to take Dangote Cement Plc to court and reclaim what rightfully belongs to the people.

On Friday the federal government had said an agreement had been reached to reopen the cement plant.

However, despite the federal government’s intervention and stakeholders’ meetings, the state government said “the last has not been heard of the Kogi-Dangote face-off over the ownership”.

Fanwo said the government decided to seek redress in court at an emergency meeting on Thursday night between key government officials, led by governor Yahaya Bello and stakeholders representing the different ethnic groups in the state.

According to him, the meeting, which ran into the early hours of Friday, had all stakeholders resolve to head to court in the interest of the people and generations to come.

He added that the governor made it clear to the house that there was no going back on the state’s resolve to reclaim its asset, even while he sued for calm in the interest of peace.

“This struggle is not about governor Yahaya Bello or his administration. It is about the people of Kogi state. In the last 72 hours, well-meaning Nigerians, leaders and government officials have waded in and have pleaded with the governor to consider reopening the plant while discussions are ongoing,” the statement reads.

“The expectations of the over 4 million Kogites are clear and high and we want to assure them that the governor and the government of Kogi state will not compromise the interest of the people of the state to reclaim their rights in the cement company.

“There were a series of high-powered meetings to resolve the impasse, including meetings having the governor and Aliko Dangote in attendance. Discussions were held and statements of interest were established. But there was no agreement yet as some desperate parties are trying to promote in the media to mislead the public.

“We shall be non-violent in our approach as we are sure of green pathways to success for the people in this battle for the economic future of our dear state.

“However, we maintain that the collective assets of the people of Kogi state must be protected and reclaimed in this instance. And that is the process the government has started. We will fight this battle to the end until we get justice from the courts. No committee can resolve this dispute.”