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Dangote Cement restates commitment to closing demand-supply Gap

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Dangote Cement restates commitment to closing demand-supply Gap

…As construction of Okpella cement factory nears completion

L-R: Marketing  Director , Dangote Cement Plc, Funmi Sanni; Group Sales and Marketing Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Rabiu Umar; and Group Chief Branding & Communications Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, Anthony Chiejina during introduction of new Group Sales and Marketing Director of Dangote Cement Plc to the media on Monday, May 17, 2021 in Dangote Industries Head Office, Lagos

Following the surge in demand for cement products in the country, Dangote Cement Plc has restated commitment in meeting the demand gap in order to ensure the availability of Cement products in all nooks and crannies of Nigeria and beyond.

Speaking to the media yesterday in Lagos, Dangote Cement’s newly appointed Group Chief Sales and Marketing Director, Mr. Rabiu Umar said that the country has moved from importing cement to become an exporter of cement.

Umar explained that the demand for cement has risen globally as a fallout of the COVID-19 crisis. Nigeria, according to him, is no exception as a combination of monetary policy changes and low returns from the capital market has resulted in a significant increase in construction activity.

He explained further “We got into COVID last year and immediately after COVID there is a surge in demand and this is not particular to Nigeria alone, a couple of countries across the world are also experiencing the same; Mexico, South East Asia, among others.”

He noted that Dangote Cement is aggressively building up more capacity as it recently invested in a new line that has been completed in Obajana Plant and the line is waiting for the power plant for it to commence operation.

L-R: Marketing  Director , Dangote Cement Plc, Funmi Sanni; Group Sales and Marketing Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Rabiu Umar; and Group Chief Branding & Communications Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, Anthony Chiejina during introduction of new Group Sales and Marketing Director of Dangote Cement Plc to the media on Monday, May 17, 2021 in Dangote Industries Head Office, Lagos

Commenting further on capacity building, Rabiu said: “… we have a new plant in Okpella in Edo state, that is also going to start operation very soon. For the last couple of years one of our plants in Gboko, Benue state has not worked; we have re-started the plant all in a bid to make sure that there is enough production. We have also increased the capacity of our Obajana Plant and very soon, I am sure the market will be flooded with enough products. You also need to note that other operators are also increasing their capacity.”

He explained that, “in every business, what drives the price is the demand and supply. Now as a business we have not increased our price up until this point. So therefore, what has happened in price increment in the cement products are forces of demand and supply.”

He said though the company has direct control over its ex-factory prices, it cannot control the ultimate price of cement when it gets to the market. He advised that it is important to distinguish Dangote’s ex-factory prices from prices at which retailers sell cement in the market.

L-R: Marketing  Director , Dangote Cement Plc, Funmi Sanni; Group Sales and Marketing Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Rabiu Umar; and Group Chief Branding & Communications Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, Anthony Chiejina during introduction of new Group Sales and Marketing Director of Dangote Cement Plc to the media on Monday, May 17, 2021 in Dangote Industries Head Office, Lagos

Umar stated further that the Company is trying to make sure that it increases the supply of the product in the market, noting that to make the product available to the end users, the Company is bringing in 2,000 brand new trucks to ease distribution bottlenecks.

“We are buying these trucks and putting them out there to make sure that the distribution is also taken care of. This new development will lead to additional thousands of direct jobs in the country; apart from both direct and indirect jobs the plants will also create.

L-R: Marketing  Director , Dangote Cement Plc, Funmi Sanni; Group Sales and Marketing Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Rabiu Umar; and Group Chief Branding & Communications Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, Anthony Chiejina during introduction of new Group Sales and Marketing Director of Dangote Cement Plc to the media on Monday, May 17, 2021 in Dangote Industries Head Office, Lagos

“Globally, by the time we are done, we believe that the additional capacity we will put on the market compared to what we have in the market today is probably the size of each of our competitors in terms of the additional volume that we will put in the market. And we believe that should help to manage the tension in the country as far as the situation with the skyrocketing prices of cement are concerned.”

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Senator Ifeanyi Ubah dies at 52

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The Senator representing Anambra South in the National Assembly, Ifeanyi Ubah, is dead.

Ubah, who was the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Oil, was said to have died in a hotel in London, the United Kingdom, on Saturday.

He would have been 53 on September 3.

Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, confirmed Ubah’s death to our correspondent on Saturday.

He said, “It’s confirmed, but I am sending an official statement soon.”

Ubah, who was re-elected into the 10th Senate under the Young Peoples Party, had last year defected to the All Progressive Congress.

In September 2022, Ubah escaped assassination when he was attacked by gunmen on his way to Nnewi in Enugwu-Ukwu in Anambra State.

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JUST IN: Edo state Assembly impeaches Deputy Governor Shaibu

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The Edo State House of Assembly, on Monday, impeached the state’s Deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu.

The impeachment followed the adoption of the report of the seven-man investigative panel set up by the Assembly to probe allegations of misconduct against Shaibu.

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JUST IN: Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun joins ancestors at 81

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The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun has joined his ancestors after a brief illness.

He joined his ancestors at the age of 81.

It was gathered that the late monarch was taken to the hospital Wednesday morning having stayed indoor throughout Tuesday on account of slight malaria fever, though, he was hail and hearty on Monday during which he personally received few guests that paid him congratulatory visits on his second year anniversary on that day.

Making this announcement was the Baba-Kekere Olubadan and his younger brother, Dr Kola Balogun in a statement by the Personal Assistant (Media) to the late monarch, Oladele Ogunsola.

According to the statement, Dr. Balogun disclosed that Oba Balogun would be buried at his Aliiwo ancestral home by 4.00pm on Friday according to Islamic rites just as he said that the State Governor Seyi Makinde, though already verbally informed, would be formally notified early in the morning.

The late Olubadan was the first most educated to have emerged as Ibadan monarch, a British trained P.hd holder, a former university lecturer, former member of management staff of Shell British Petroleum, former gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Nigeria People’s Party, NPP, former Senator and a successful business man.

His last official outing was the Olubadan Advisory Council’s meeting which he presided over last Saturday where the decision to derobed Mogaji Akinsola, Olawale Oladoja was taken.

He however, on Tuesday instructed the Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade to midwife a small committee to deliberate on last Friday’s decision on what should be the position of Ibadan Zone in the proposed newly reconstituted Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.

The decision of the small committee was earlier on Thursday ratified by the Olubadan Advisory Council at a meeting presided over by Otun Olubadan and the former governor of Oyo State, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja and was to be taken to the late Oba Balogun for his signature Friday morning so as to meet the deadline for submission to the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters later in the day.

The late Olubadan is survived by wives, children and grandchildren.

Announcing the passage of the monarch, Governor Makinde, in a statement, stated that Olubadan, who joined his ancestors late Thursday evening at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, described him as an epitome of royal excellence and a great achiever, who made great marks on Ibadanland in just a little over two years of his reign.

He expressed his condolences to the Olubadan-in-Council, the Oyo State Traditional Council and the people of Ibadanland and Oyo State, praying to God to grant repose to the soul of the deceased monarch.

Makinde said: “With total submission to the will of God, I announce the passing unto glory of our father, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Mohood Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“A mighty Iroko has fallen; Oba Dr. Balogun has joined the ancestors.

“In Kabiyesi, Ibadanland had a cosmopolitan and well-experienced Olubadan, who made indelible marks on the sands of history and achieved greatly within a short while.

“On behalf of the Government and good People of Oyo State, I condole with the immediate family of the Oba Dr. Balogun, the Olubadan-in-Council, the Oyo State Traditional Council and the people of Ibadanland.

“It is my prayer that God grants repose to the soul of our late monarch.”

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