Coal milling: Our lives, health come first before profit, Ogun residents tell Dangote cement firm
…Urges FG to withhold license to firm
… Warns against turning Ibese -Yewa into another Ogoniland
… Company declines comment
Earlier, The Daily Crucible reports that in January this year, indigenes and and residents of Yewaland in Ogun State gathered in Aiyetoro, the Headquarters of Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State to call on Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese plant, to put their lives, health, safety and environment first before “profit and cost – cutting considerations.”
The people hinged their call on what they alleged as company’s resolve to switch to coal as a source of power for cement production instead of diesel.
They claimed a Coal milling project by Dangote Cement Plc had been proposed to commence on their land and called on the Nigerian Government’s ministry of environment and its agencies to withhold the issuance of coal milling license to the cement company in Ibese pending satisfaction of all safety terms and conditions attached to coal milling.
Acting under the aegis of Yewa Defender Organization, they said there was the need to avert what could turn Yewa area into another Ogoniland in Rivers State or make their people become Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) due to what they feared as looming health hazards and environmental degradation should Dangote Cement Ibese be permitted to use coal as power source via coal milling project instead of diesel.
The chairman of Yewa Defender Organization, Mr Temitope Amusan, had at the time, said the group would use every legitimate means, including court action, to compel Dangote company to follow due process and put their health and environment into perspectives in its coal milling project in their area.
Amusan also said the body would not hesitate to drag the company to the international organisations and draw their attention to the dangers they will be subjected to with the proposed coal milling projects, lamenting that Ibese and other host communities in Yewaland are already suffering from the heavy impact of limestone blasting by Dangote cement on their houses, farmlands and water wells.
Noting that running a coal milling project in the same area where the residents were already reeling from the impact of limestone blasting would be devastating and a double jeopardy, Amusan who spoke in the presence of other key members of the group, appealed to the state government to beam its search light on the activities of Dangote company in respect of the said coal milling project.
“Recall that Yewa Defender Organization in July last year intercepted a radio announcement about the proposed coal milling project by Dangote cement plc at its Ibese – Yewa plant. The Federal Ministry of environment had in that announcement actually sent out public notice, (ref: FME/EA/EIA/5232/Vol.1/86,) signed by one Dr. Musa Gashau on behalf of the Hon. Minister requesting for public/stakeholders comments and opinions on the proposed coal milling by Dangote cement plc, Ibese.
“The letter dated 9th June, 2022 was supposed to be accompanied with a draft copy of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for assessment by interested stakeholders and members of the public. After which a mandatory panel review of EIA would take place before the federal ministry of environment grants Dangote cement plc the required license.
“Also note that the notice was supposed to be on display, particularly at the Headquarters of Yewa North Local Government, Ayetoro for 21 days. For unknown reasons, however, the display at the LGA Secretariat lasted for 12 hours,” he said.
The company Corporate Head Office was contacted over 10 hours ago for its reaction, it promised to respond but has since not responded as of the time of filing the report.
