A group, Yewa Defenders Organization, has urged the Federal Government through the Ministry of Environment to withhold issuance of licence to Dangote Cement Plc, over its proposed coal milling project at the Ibese plant in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The group noted that the giant cement manufacturing company had failed to follow due process as regards the proposed project by not adhering to the provisions of the Environmental Impact Analysis (EIA) Act CAP E12 LFN 2004 requiring inputs from host communities.
The Chairman of the group, Mr Temitope Ajakori-Amusan, at a press conference held in Ayetoro, on Friday, said the group suspect a possible breach of the process, hence the need to raise alarm about it.
Ajakori -Amusan flanked by other executive members of the group, said the group got wind of the proposed coal milling project through a radio announcement requesting public/stakeholders’ comments and opinions on it.
He explained that the Federal Ministry of Environment had in the announcement sent out a public notice through a letter signed by one of the Ministry officials requesting inputs which he said ought to be accompanied by a draft copy of the Environmental Assessment Report (EIA) for assessment by interested stakeholders and members of the public.
Ajakori -Amusan hinted that a mandatory Panel Review of the EIA was not put in place by Dangote, hence the call on the FG not to grant the company any license on the proposed project.
“We want Dangote to play by the rules. We got wind of the news on the proposed coal milling project by Dangote through a radio announcement. We resolve to dig into the root of the matter. Some of our executive members approached the Federal Ministry of Environment, Abuja, to protest against the glaring lack of due process and observed anomalies in the handling of the display of the EIA report on the proposed coal milling project at Dangote Cement Ibese.
“The Ministry did not only appreciate the timely intervention by Yewa Defender Organization by acceding to all our requests but regretted identified lapses and infractions and charged the organization to be in the forefront of coordinating, collation and submission of public memoranda, inputs and opinions of stakeholders on the proposed coal milling project as well as organised Panel Review.
“Why did Dangote Cement management fail to observe due diligence and procedure in carrying out the initial public display of the EIA report of the proposed project in July 2022 by adequately informing stakeholders in the host communities?
“Why, since August 2022 and in spite of instructions by the Federal Ministry of Environment is the company unwilling to carry out a fresh public display within 21 days and followed up by a Panel of Review of the report?
“Why is Dangote Cement Plc afraid of Panel Review of the EIA report?” he said.
The group noted that the proposed coal milling project portends serious environmental hazards and grave health implications to the people of the host communities and by extension Yewaland.
The Corporate Affairs Unit Dangote Group promised to react to the position of the group, however, the reaction was not obtained at the time of filing this report.
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