By Chijioke Kingsley
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Mbayion district in Gboko, headquarters of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, the host community of the Dangote Cement Plant, has expressed concern over the environmental degradation caused by the company.
They have constituted a committee to look into the effects of the mining company on its immediate environment.
The chairman of the committee, Terna Abeda, who spoke to newsmen on Wednesday in Gboko, expressed the disappointment of the host community with the Dangote Cement Plant for not doing enough to cushion the effects of its activities on the environment.
Abeda said that the findings of the committee, after going around the community and interacting with traditional rulers, youths, and the people, revealed a disappointing tale of neglect.
He further stated that the host community of the Gboko plant of Dangote Cement was very unlucky in the area of corporate social responsibility and interventions compared to their counterparts at Obajana and Ibese.
Abeda added that the host community has records of the interventions and investments at Ibese and Obajana, which he said, the Gboko plant falls far short of.
“The community will continue to explore every peaceful avenue with the Dangote conglomerate to see reason and find ways to mitigate the adverse effects of their activities on their immediate hosts,” he said.
During the interaction, the District Head of Ukpekpe, Zaki Igba Tsegba, and the District Head of Mbatyu, Zaki Kunav Anum, on whose soil the company is sited, said that they were not comfortable with the company’s relationship with the host community.
