By Udeme Akpan
The Federal Government has called on host communities in Ogun and Ondo states to give maximum support to the proposed Dangote Industrial City and Deep Seaport project, describing it as a transformative initiative that will create opportunities for economic growth and community development.
Representing the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, at the combined Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) site visit, Mrs. Rofikat Adebukunola Odetoro commended Dangote Industries Limited for its commitment to environmental sustainability and inclusive stakeholder engagement.
Speaking during the three-day assessment tour across Ode-Omi Waterside Community in Ogun State and Araromi Community in Ondo State, Odetoro expressed satisfaction with the level of community consultations and groundwork undertaken to ensure the project aligns with environmental regulations and the interests of host communities.
Odetoro, who is the Director of Assessment at the Federal Ministry of Environment, stressed the need for inclusive dialogue, urging traditional rulers and community leaders not to overlook women and children during consultations.
“I urge you to factor women into every engagement. Women and children are as important as every other member of the community and they have unique needs that must not be ignored. Please give this project every support possible. It presents enormous opportunities for youths, women, and children to benefit from employment and the mandatory corporate social responsibility initiatives that will accompany it,” she said.
Speaking during the community engagement at Araromi Seaside Kingdom, Managing Director, Infrastructure and Logistics, Dangote Industries Limited, Capt. Jamil Abubakar assured the indigenes of transparency, fairness, and continuous engagement throughout the project’s implementation. According to him, the President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, is committed to ensuring Africa becomes more self-sufficient through strategic infrastructure investments.
“Our President is committed to positioning Africa for greater self-sufficiency, and Araromi has been chosen as the location where one of the world’s biggest deep seaports will be built. We are excited about the prospects of this project. We are here to listen to the community’s concerns and work together to achieve a win-win outcome for every stakeholder involved,” he said.
Abubakar further disclosed that Aliko Dangote had directed the project team to carry out a comprehensive needs assessment of the host communities and provide critical interventions regardless of the project’s stage of development.
Presenting the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, Group Lead, Environment and Sustainability, Dangote Industries Limited, Dr. Adeyemi Adun, said the study was designed to establish the current environmental and socio-economic baseline of the host communities before project execution. He explained that the assessment would evaluate the quality of air, water and soil, as well as the socio-economic conditions of residents, in line with Federal Ministry of Environment guidelines.
“This phase of the project is intended to establish the current status of the community in terms of air quality, water resources, soil conditions, and socio-economic indicators, as required by the Federal Ministry of Environment. We also assure you that this project will have a positive impact on your communities, just as Dangote Industries has done in other host communities across the country”, Adun added.
Also speaking, the representative of the Ondo State Commissioner for Environment and Director of the Environmental Assessment Department, Isaac Ojo, welcomed the commencement of the assessment process, describing it as inclusive and beneficial to all stakeholders.
“We are delighted that this process has begun and that it accommodates every stakeholder. We are confident the project will benefit the communities, and we encourage everyone to give the Dangote team the maximum support required for its success”, Ojo said.
The Alara of Araromi Seaside Kingdom, Oba Adeoloye Olawole, also expressed strong support for the project, describing Aliko Dangote as “a genius” whose investments would accelerate the development of the kingdom.
“We are counting on Aliko Dangote to help develop our kingdom. He is a genius, and we are ready to provide every support necessary to ensure the success of this project. We have always maintained that our community is peaceful, cooperative, and committed to progress. We want him to help develop our land as he doing all over Africa,” the monarch added.
The assessment tour brought together officials of the Federal Ministry of Environment, representatives of Ogun and Ondo State Ministries of Environment, local government officials, traditional rulers, faith-based leaders, community representatives, and officials of Dangote Industries Limited.
Stakeholders held extensive discussions on their respective roles in ensuring the successful delivery of what is projected to become Africa’s largest deep seaport.
Communiques were drafted and signed by stakeholders at the end of each engagement at Ode Omi and Araromi, which drew hundreds of indigenes from across the surrounding communities. Consultants have also mobilised to the project site for the ESIA sample surveys.
