{"id":16236,"date":"2017-10-05T20:38:24","date_gmt":"2017-10-05T20:38:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/?p=16236"},"modified":"2017-10-05T20:38:24","modified_gmt":"2017-10-05T20:38:24","slug":"host-communities-tackle-dangote-group-over-massive-coal-pollution-in-kogi-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/?p=16236","title":{"rendered":"HOST COMMUNITIES TACKLE DANGOTE GROUP OVER MASSIVE COAL POLLUTION IN KOGI STATE"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><code><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- www.deltanewsroom.com --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-2163942495525027\" data-ad-slot=\"1411897411\" data-ad-format=\"auto\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/code><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">The Kogi State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called on the Dangote Group to take the issue of environmental protection and corporate social responsibility for its host communities in the state as paramount.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14543\" class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14542\" lang=\"EN-GB\">The State chairman of NYCN, Oladele Nihi, made the call on Thursday when he led members of his executive on an advocacy visit to the management of the Dangote Cement Plant at Obajana, Kogi State.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14545\" class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14544\" lang=\"EN-GB\">He said the visit was to present the complaints of the people of Awowu and Onupi communities in Ankpa Local Government where Dangote is involved in coal mining activities and those of Obajana community in Lokoja Local Government where the company is involved in mining, extraction and production of cement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14533\" class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14532\" lang=\"EN-GB\">In his presentation, he expressed the displeasure of the youth council over the negative impacts of uncontrolled environmental pollution ongoing in those host communities and the neglect of the corporate social responsibility of the company to the host communities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alternativeadvert.com\/show.php?z=30&amp;pl=14614&amp;ad_type=59&amp;rl=180\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14531\" class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14530\" lang=\"EN-GB\">\u201cSince we assumed office, we have been inundated with series of concerns about the activities of Dangote Plc in these communities, we have also carried out an independent fact finding on these issues and realised that they are actually genuine concerns by our people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14526\" class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14525\" lang=\"EN-GB\">\u201cOne of the biggest problems in these communities is access to clean water. The constant coal mining activities has hugely polluted water from the stream making it unsafe for drinking and washing of clothes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14523\" class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14524\" lang=\"EN-GB\">\u201cThe contaminated residue water make their way back to the community\u2019s stream bearing in mind that the greatest risk mining brings to water sources is Acid Mine Drainage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14521\" class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14546\" lang=\"EN-GB\">\u201cMost villagers cannot sleep in their homes because of the loud unbearable noise from the mining equipment and also for safety as they claim their lives are being threatened.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14520\" class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14519\" lang=\"EN-GB\">\u201cAs a council which represents the interest of the over 1.8 million Kogi State Youths (who are mostly the worst affected), we have taken it upon ourselves to join the league of those calling for the right thing to be done,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">The youth council amongst others demands that the company construct the deplorable roads and provide potable water for members of the host communities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Making their contributions, the Vice Chairman (East), Comrade Sunday Alih, who is from Ankpa local government area, and the NYCN coordinator, Lokoja Local Government chapter, Abdullahi Adamu lamented that the company has neglected its corporate a social responsibilities despite benefiting \u201chugely\u201d from host communities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u201cWe are just amplifying the cry of our people, and we are resolute in following it to the logical conclusion,\u201d Adamu said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Responding, the General Manager, Human Resources and Administration of the company, George Ofurum, said Dangote was trying its best in meeting up with their corporate-social responsibilities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14518\" class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u201cThe peace and security that we enjoy in our host communities today is a clear testimony that all is well. Your coming today will go a long way in adding momentum to our drive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14517\" class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u201cI can assure you that all the points raised will be forwarded to the headquarters where they will be adequately addressed,\u201d he said. (Daily Trust)<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv0029292904ydp64d79362MsoNoSpacing\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507147141373_14542\" lang=\"EN-GB\"><a href=\"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/DANGOTE-CEMENT.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-16237\" src=\"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/DANGOTE-CEMENT-300x165.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"165\" srcset=\"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/DANGOTE-CEMENT-300x165.jpg 300w, http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/DANGOTE-CEMENT.jpg 509w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Kogi State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called on the Dangote Group to take the issue of environmental protection and corporate social responsibility for its host communities in the state as paramount. The State chairman of NYCN, Oladele Nihi, made the call on Thursday when he led members of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":16237,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[11],"tags":[4184,4183],"class_list":["post-16236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environment","tag-dangote-cement-plant","tag-oladele-nihi"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/DANGOTE-CEMENT.jpg","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4oswh-4dS","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16236"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16236\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16238,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16236\/revisions\/16238"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}