President of Dangote Group and Chairman of Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote, has urged Nigerians to see the current economic challenges being faced by the country as a wake-up call for all Nigerians to re dedicate themselves to the task of building the nation through production activities

The business mogul said though the economic downturn is ravaging most countries of the world, including Nigeria, the situation is not insurmountable if properly addressed. Dangote, who was addressing a delegation of cement distributors from across the country who paid him a visit in his office in Lagos, said that the present challenges could also serve as a stepping stone that will make the country to be more economically stronger in the future.

Africa’s foremost investor, who has always expressed his abiding faith in Nigeria as an economically viable nation, declared that the country still remains the destination of choice for investments despite the present economic and security challenges.

He explained that with good support for the government of the day in the task of tackling the challenges and the Transformation Agenda of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, the current challenges would soon be a thing of the past and Nigeria would come out stronger from it.

Said Dangote: “I have always said it that Nigeria is a good place for investment. God has given us in Nigeria what many other countries don’t have and they keep searching for it. We have got fertile land for agriculture, we have the minerals resources and we have oil. All we need to do is to harness them for our good.

“The present challenges we are facing should not deter us from growing our economy. It shouldn’t stop us from investing. It’s just a passing phase. Other countries which are referred to as developed started from somewhere. They all experienced some of these challenges in the past. So I want us to see these challenges as obstacles towards attaining greatness.”

Dangote told the distributors that it was for this reasons that he had continued investing in Nigeria’s economy because “if Nigerians do not invest in their country, other people would not come. They will want to see our success story before they can come.”

He then promised the distributors that his companies would continue to live up to expectation to ensure that their interests are protected at all times, noting that as a matter of policy his companies have put in place an arrangement to consider relations of his distributors for job opportunities once there is opportunity for that.

Dangote also informed his visitors of the ongoing efforts to refine the service being provided for the customers so as to add more value to them. He said that going forward the customers would see a change and delivery of the product would be seamless and without hassles.

He took time to answer questions and observations raised by the distributors, who also commended him for his doggedness in investment locally as opposed to others who chose to take money away from the country.

Also speaking, his Honourary Adviser, Engineer Joseph Makoju, told the distributors that Dangote Cement is more than ready to meet and exceed their expectations. He said the production capacity expansion is intended to make cement more available and subsequently bring down the price.

According to him, the company has put in place certain processes to serve the distributors better than before. He referred to the payment for the bonus at half year instead of yearly as one of the new steps to better serve them.

Makoju to the excitement of the distributors announced the completion of a new arrangement for customer service in which the distributors can reach the management 20 hours to lodge complaint and have their complaint attended to promptly.

“What we are trying to do is to ensure that you grow along with us. That is not a bad idea and I think we should commend him for that. Let us know what your problems are, we are ready to solve them immediately. With new production lines now on board in Ibese and Obajana, you can say bye-bye to scarcity,” Makoju explained.

News Express recalls that Dangote Cement had just added two new lines to the 6 million metric ton capacity per annum at Ibese to shore up its capacity to 12 million while additional 3 million capacity line is being added to Obajana plant to bring total capacity to 13.25 million tons per annum.

Also the Dangote Group had signed an MOU with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, a deal that will see Dangote providing N165 billion for rice cultivation in five states as part of the agric revolution of the Federal Government.

Dangote is meanwhile working hard to ensure the timely completion of his petroleum refinery in Lagos. This makes him the first private Nigerian to obtain licence and commence actual construction of the refinery as many who had earlier obtained license for same have failed to commence physical preparation.

•Photo shows Dangote.

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