Follow Us on Google
By Merit Ibe, Lagos
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has condemned the move by the Kogi State Government to seal the Dangote Cement factory located in the Obajana area of the state.
President of the association Mansur Ahmed, who made the statement in Lagos following the mayhem that broke out recently when armed men invaded the Dangote plant on Wednesday, shooting and injuring company staff, noted that it was worrisome that a government can take such drastic measures to shut down a plant that provides jobs, economic activities on a very large scale to the people of the state.
Ahmed said the actions of the state government hinged on alleged tax and land issues were totally illegitimate, saying if the government has any matter against any member of the industry or indeed against any company, the appropriate thing to do was to take the company to court.
“You can’t use the strong-arm tactics to shut them down or impose very severe restrictions on their operations. This is illegal. I believe that this cannot happen in a well-managed economic environment,” Ahmed stated.
“We have taken up this matter to the Ministry of Industry and hope they will extend that to relevant authorities. I believe government will take steps to resolve the matter.
“We have no reason not to pay taxes to the state government as at when due. Indeed, I am aware that the Dangote Group is one of the largest taxpayers in Nigeria and that is a matter of principle. The group pays its taxes when due. But if for any reason there is a tax owed or any claim by the state government by Dangote, it has ways, measures and means of recovering it. There is no justification to threaten to close the industry. We are totally opposed to that kind of measure because in any issue between the government and any citizen, there are ways of resolving it amicably.
“We hope the relevant authorities of both the state and federal governments will step in to ensure that this kind of behaviour is not repeated.
On his part, the Director General of the association, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, noted that the threat to Dangote by the Kogi government was uncalled for and queried how private citizens could bear arms to shut down a corporate establishment in Nigeria.
Ajayi-Kadir saw the action as an assault and advised the Kogi State Government to immediately drop all hostilities, stating that as Nigerians “we cannot work against the interest of the people.
“I think Nigerians should see it as an assault and the Kogi State Government should be advised to immediately drop all hostilities. We cannot be working against the interest of the people.”
He noted that the community’s action indicated that the government was obviously wrong and that they never participated in the exercise that was embarked upon.
“It is against the run of events in the country. As we wind down, we look forward to a transition of government, this is not the time to show how insensitive a government can be to industries.
“You can see that the community did not take it easy, they have indicated that the government was obviously wrong and that they never participated in that inglorious exercise that was embarked upon.
“You can imagine private citizens bearing arms to shut down a corporate citizen of Nigeria. I think Nigerians should see it as an assault and the Kogi state government should be advised to immediately drop all hostilities. We cannot be working against the interest of the people.”
