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Buhari inaugurates Dangote’s 3m metric tones fertilizer plant

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Nasiru Yusuf

 

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday declared that Nigeria’s dependence on imported products in the agriculture sector will soon be a thing of the past with the inauguration of Dangote Fertilizer Plant, which has an installed capacity of 3.0 million metric tonnes of Urea per annum.

 

KANO FOCUS reports that the President said the plant will further advance Nigeria’s drive towards achieving self-sufficiency in food production, create jobs, increase the inflow of foreign exchange and accelerate economic growth.

Speaking at the commissioning of the plant in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos State, the President commended the Chairman, Board and Management of Dangote Industries Limited for their business initiative in conceptualizing and building this plant, which is the second largest in the world.

The President expressed confidence that the investment in this plant will replicate the Group’s earlier exploits in the cement sector, where Dangote Cement holds the enviable record as our continent’s largest cement producer, with footprints in ten other African countries.

‘‘This new plant is a renewed testament to the widely acknowledged patriotism of Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the leadership of Dangote Industries Limited. It also demonstrates their commitment to the socio-economic development of our country and the well-being of our people.

‘‘The Group’s investment in integrated cement plants, spanning the value chain from quarry to ‘bagging, has effectively ended Nigeria’s dependence on imported cement products.

‘‘Along with the several other subsidiaries, Dangote Industries Limited has created thousands of jobs across Nigeria. It is the second biggest employer of labour in this country, after the Federal Government.

‘‘This is very pleasing because job creation by private sector operators is vital to security as it takes thousands of youths off the street,’’ he said.

On other benefits of the plant, the President expressed delight that with the commencement of exports to other countries including the United States, India, and Brazil, Nigeria is already gaining extensively in earnings of foreign exchange from the excess production of, and export from, the plant.

He noted that coming on stream of the plant had created huge opportunities in the areas of job creation, trade, warehousing, transport, and logistics, which would, in turn, create significant wealth, reduce poverty, and help in securing the future of the nation.

‘‘In the agricultural sector, another focal point of our economic policy, we expect a boom as fertilizer is now readily available in greater quantities and better quality.

‘‘Many Nigerians who hitherto practiced subsistence farming because of nonavailability of necessary inputs can now take up agriculture as a business.

‘‘We expect the rise of a new breed of agropreneurs who will add value to farming and make the nation self-sufficient in food production,’’ he said.

President Buhari used the occasion to reassure Nigerians that his government is focused on providing an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive, pledging continuity in improving infrastructure, power and security as well as enacting relevant laws and regulations to drive investments in the economy.

‘‘We are partnering with the private sector, through a tax credit scheme, in the rehabilitation of roads across Nigeria under Presidential Order No. 7.

‘‘As we know, good roads contribute to easy movement of goods and services across the nation, thus reducing the cost of doing business and improving productivity.

‘‘We are also rehabilitating our railway lines and building new ones to lessen the burden on our roads and create more effective multi-modal transportation networks,’’ he said.

‘‘I look forward to coming back to inaugurate the Refinery and petrochemical plant later in the year.

‘‘Projects of this magnitude and complexity require the support and collaboration of many persons and organisations. I am grateful to all of them.

‘‘In particular, I would like to commend the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Development Finance Institutions and the Local and Foreign Commercial Banks that have supported the investor to make these projects a reality,’’ the President declared.

Lauding Dangote for helping to rebrand Nigeria through his mega investments across Africa, President Buhari said:

‘‘He has fueled job-led growth and transformation of several African economies. I am proud of his contribution to affirming Nigeria’s leadership status in the continent, and I wish him many more successes in the future.’’

After the historic inauguration, President Buhari inspected the Group’s 650,000 barrels per day Petroleum Refinery and 900,000 tonnes per annum Polypropylene Plant sited within the Dangote Free Trade Zone Complex.

In his remarks, Dangote said the fertiliser complex, which occupies 500 hectares and built at a cost of $2.5 billion will drastically reduce the level of unemployment and youth restiveness in the country, through generation of direct and indirect employment.

”Agriculture accounts for over 20 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP, and the country is a leading producer of various agricultural commodities. The sector has the potential of becoming the biggest source of income for our Nation, providing employment and raw materials for industries.

”However, low fertilizer usage has been a major reason for low productivity  in the sector. It is common knowledge that non availability of the product, in quantity and quality,  rather than affordability, is the primary constraint to the use of fertilizer.

”Our goal is to make fertiliser available in sufficient quantities and quality for our teeming farmers assuring greater agricultural output,” he said.

The Chief Executive of Dangote Industries expressed immense gratitude to President Buhari, for his sustained support and encouragement, and for honoring the invitation to come, in person, and inaugurate the plant.

He also commended the leaders of the host communities and their people for providing a peaceful and conducive environment for the project to thrive, recognizing the many years of enthusiastic teamwork, labour, toil and sweat of the Management and Staff of Dangote  Group for their commitment to high performance,  perseverance and resilience.

The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, recounted the role played by a former governor of the State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the establishment of the fertiliser plant and the refinery.

”The idea of having a free zone in the Ibeju Lekki was conceived by our leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed  Tinubu.

”I was with him in 2003, when we took a trip to China and we were trying to conceive a free zone and this is where we are.

”The free zone is not only home to the largest fertilizer plant in Africa but will certainly be home to the largest refinery,” Sanwo-Olu said.

He thanked the President for coming to Lagos, adding that he looked forward to receiving him in a few months’ time to commission more projects.

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Kwankwaso denies taking position on rumoured defection to APC

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The 2023 Presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has debunked reaching a resolution with any individual on the trending defection rumoured to the ruling party or any other political party.

KANO FOCUS reports that Kwankwaso, who considered the recent statement credited to have suggested a particular position as an imagination of falsehood and fragmentation of political mischief against him.

A statement posted on his official X handle @KwankwasoRM, the ex-Governor insisted he has since refrained from commenting on contemporary political events, and will continue to do so for the time being.

In the said false information that went viral, Kwankwaso was quoted to have revealed a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on multiple occasions, urging him to return to the APC fold.

Responding to a statement purportedly signed by one Ibrahim Rabiu, Sen. Kwankwaso insisted he had never signed or authorised any statement to be issued on his behalf.

“My attention has been drawn to a statement purportedly stating my position on the recurring political realignments. I wish to categorically state that such statements are false, unfounded, and products of political mischief.

“I have refrained from commenting on contemporary political events, and I will continue to do so for the time being.”

” I urge the public to only engage statements that come from my public handles and other official sources”. Kwankwaso RM.”

In a releted development, the author of the purported false statement Ibrahim Rabiu has issued a self counter, denouncing the statement as a work of devil.

“I Ibrahim Rabiu, wish to inform the general public that I was never authorised by Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso to issue and release a statement on his belhalf”

“I therefore wish to tender a public apology to his person with a promise that such childish act will never be repeated in the future, please find a space in your heart to forgive me, I was misled by fake news and agents of misinformation”

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Emir Sanusi commends AGILE for renovating over 1,300 schools in Kano

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The Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammad Sunusi II, commended the Adolescent Girls Initiatives for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project for reenrolling over 30,000 adolescent girls and renovating more than 1,300 schools across the state.

KANO FOCUS reports that the Emir made the commendation while reeiving AGILE State Project Implementation Unit (SIPU) who paid him an advocacy visit recently.

Khalifa Muhammadu Sanusi ll

He emphasized the Kano Emirate Council’s commitment to advocating for education and pledged continued support to ensure the enrollment, retention, transition, and completion of girls’ education in Kano.

The Emir also emphasized the importance of collaboration and synergy in implementing policies and programs that foster the development of the state and the nation at large.

AGILE Project Coordinator presenting gift to Emir of Kano

He expressed satisfaction with the AGILE project’s strong monitoring and evaluation framework, particularly in tracking the use of grants and conditional cash transfers.

In his remarks, the Kano State AGILE Coordinator, Malam Mujtapha Aminu said more than 100,000 students are currently enrolled in learning centers across 23 local government areas under the Adolescent Girls’ Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) second chance education in Kano.

AGILE PC and Emir of Kano

He said this initiative provides out-of-school adolescent girls an opportunity to complete their secondary education, gain entrepreneurship and life skills.

According to him, the second chance education students undergo literacy, numeracy, and entrepreneurship training across 5,000 learning centers.

Athletes who participated in AGILE WEEK Games

He further explained that after nine months of instruction, the students sit for examinations and are awarded certificates equivalent to the Junior Secondary School Certificate.

“Those who enroll in the advanced literacy program also have the opportunity to sit for national examinations such as NECO and WAEC,” he added.

He said they visited the Emir’andalace to seek blessings and advocate for support to achieve their goals.

AGILE Communications Officer and games officials

The AGILE Project is a World Bank-assisted initiative implemented through Federal and State Ministries of Education, aimed at improving secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls in Nigeria.

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Rurum, Rogo finally dump NNPP for APC  

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The gale of defection from opposition political parties intensifies as two members of the opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Abdullahi Sani Rogo and Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

 

KANO FOCUS reports that both lawmakers represent Rano/Bunkure/Kibiya and Karaye/Rogo federal constituency of Kano State.

 

Both lawmakers announced their defection at plenary presided over by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen.

 

On hand to witness the defection on the floor of the House was the national chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, accompanied by some members of the national working committee of the party.

 

However, the Minority Whip, Isa Ali JC, faulted the defection of the lawmakers on the basis that it was against constitutional provisions.

 

As of Thursday, no fewer than 30 members of opposition political parties have dumped their parties to join the APC.

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