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LAND DISPUTE: Court Scheduled Oct 11th For Hearing Host Communities Vs BUA, State Government
By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto
The Sokoto State High Court has scheduled Oct. 11, for hearing land dispute case filed by communities surrounding BUA Cement Company against the company and the Sokoto State Government as well.
The trial Judge, Justice Kabiru Muhammad, made the adjournment to enable the Respondents Counsels to prepare in the suit.
At the sitting, Counsel to the state government happened to be absent, and request was made by Mr Abdulrahman Wasahu, the company’s Counsel, for more time to prepare.
In the statement of claim filed in the court, the Plaintiff Counsel, Mr Kasimu Sauwa, prayed the court to interprete the alleged attempt by the company to takeover land within the communities in line with the Land Use Act.
Sauwa said the Act specified that government can takeover land belonging to anybody when there is overriding public interest.
However, in this case, BUA is a private profit making company with share shareholders.
“As such we want the court to interprete whether BUA as a profit making company has the right to forcefully acquire land for commercial purposes,” he said.
The Counsel further prayed the court to declare the intends of the company to take possession by starting demarcations on their land as null and void.
The host communities that filed the suit are, Runjin Biyo, Asare, Gidan Dan kaiwa, Kaura Kimba, Gidan Shibkau and Maciya in Wamakko local government area of the state.
September 22, 2022
Flour Mills Attack BUA Over Alleged Sugar Sale Suspension -Dangote
By Isaac Kertyo
Dangote Gains As BUA Owner, Abdulsamad Loses N12.47bn Amid Sugar Price Allegation.
The cold war between Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc and BUA Foods Plc has continued to fester to the point of suspending the sale of sugar.
News reports that BUA Foods Plc accused the two companies of suspending the sale of sugar because the 2022 raw sugar allocation had been declined by the government.
In a statement released On Monday, BUA Foods also accused Dangote Sugar of halting sugar sales in a bid to create scarcity and force an increase in prices of the commodity.
But in a statement published on the Nigerian Exchange Limited on Thursday, Dangote Sugar refuted claims by BUA Foods, describing them as false and misleading.
Dangote Sugar stated that in line with its plan, it had continued to supply sugar to meet the market’s demand.
It said, “In compliance with the requirements of the Rulebook of the Nigerian Exchange Limited, DSR wishes to strongly refute the allegations and assertions in their entirety as these false allegations may mislead the market and may give an undue competitive edge to BUA.”
“We believe this behaviour exhibited by BUA is worrisome and appears to conflict with the anti-competition rules. Last year, just before the commencement of Ramadan (the Islamic holy month of fasting), BUA made similar false allegations against the company that it was engaged in ‘price-fixing’ and not honestly pursuing the Backward Integration Project.
“In response to this, we published a press release to refute the false allegations and made a formal complaint to the Anti-Competition Commission. Another formal complaint was made to the commission on February 14, 2022, and we await their actions to address the situation.”
Also reacting in a statement on Thursday, Flour Mills described the claim by BUA as incorrect and indeed capable of creating a false impression in the market.
The company stated that it had no outstanding compliance issues with the National Sugar Development Council and this was confirmed by the council’s latest raw sugar allocation for 2022.
It said: “On the contrary, we have been adjudged as the best performing Backward Integration Program.
“The assertion by BUA Foods on the supposed suspension of sugar sales by FMN based on compliance issues is incorrect and indeed capable of creating a false impression in the market, which is contrary to the interest of consumers.”
February 18, 2022
Buhari Commissions BUA Three Million Metric Tonnes Cement Plant
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday paid a visit to Sokoto State and commissioned a cement plant by manufacturing company, BUA Group.
Hosted by Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, President Buhari at the event inaugurated the three million metric tonnes per annum plant and 48 Megawatts power plant.
President Buhari lauded the company for believing in Nigeria and being the largest employer of labour in the northwest region of the country.
Dignitaries at the event include the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’adu Abubakar; the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele; Chairman BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, among others.
Shortly after the commissioning of the line 4 plant, the President and his entourage were taken on a tour of the plant by the Chairman of the company, AbdulSamad Rabi’u.
BUA Chairman, who according to Forbes is the fifth richest man in Africa, appreciated the President for his presence at the event.
He explained that 95% of the materials used in production in the company are locally sourced.
January 27, 2022
BUA Petrochemical will add value to A’Ibom Economy
The Akwa Ibom State Government says the BUA petrochemical project to be located in Ibeno local government would add value to the economy of the state.
Ini Ememobong, commissioner for information and strategy told correspondents in Uyo yesterday that BUA petrochemical “is coming with a road project, ” adding that it will open up the coastal areas of the state.
Ememobong said with the more than 10-20 km of road the company has promised to build in the state, there was the urgent need to support investment in the state
The commissioner who spoke against the background of how adverse media report could discourage investment said the state government was eager to attract more investment to the state.
“The governor is struggling to bring investment and people are writing to scare away investors, threatening already existing companies. No matter where your pendulum will swing to, you will create a counter report.
“An investment is coming to your side and this is when you are choosing to start a fight. As enlightened as you are, don’t help them in the fight because they want to be heard. Reasoning will come to them that investment is coming here.” He explained.
According to him, the Ibom deep sea port project in Mbo local government which is being promoted by the state government would also boost the economy of the state.
‘There are people who love to read themselves on the pages of newspapers and hear themselves in the news,it gives them a sense of importance.
“They don’t care what will happen to the larger majority, they are just interested in being seen because it is posturing them for their private business.” Ememobong concluded.
January 20, 2022
CBN Restricts Sugar Importation To Dangote, Flour Mills And BUA
The Central Bank of Nigeria on Friday limited the importation of sugar into the country to three companies: Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, BUA Sugar Refinery Limited, and Golden Sugar Company, which is owned by Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc.
According to the CBN, in a statement signed by its director of trade and exchange department, Ozoemena Nnaji, the three firms “have made reasonable progress in achieving backward integration” in the sugar sector.
Backward integration is when a company expands its role to fulfill tasks formerly completed by businesses up the supply chain.
It can be used to measure how much a company has invested in the development of a sector.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria under the National Sugar Development Council established the Nigerian Sugar Master Plan to encourage and incentivise sugar refining companies in their Backward Integration Programme (BIP) for local sugar production,” the CBN statement said.
“Accordingly, the underlisted three companies, who have made reasonable progress in achieving backward integration in the sector, shall only be allowed to import sugar into the country.
“BUA sugar refinery limited, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Golden Sugar Company.
“In view of the foregoing, authorised dealers shall not open Forms M or access foreign exchange in the Nigerian foreign exchange market for any company, including the three listed above for the importation of sugar without the prior and express approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria as the bank is charged with the mandate of monitoring the implementation of the backward integration programs of all the companies.”
July 17, 2021
BUA accuses CACOVID of pettiness, shows evidence for purchase of 1million doses vaccines
The purchase of COVID-19 vaccines is causing crisis in the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID).
CACOVID is a private sector initiative for the fight against COVID-19. BUA group, a member of the coalition on Tuesday accused the coalition of playing politics with the lives of Nigerians.
Earlier on Monday, BUA group announced that it will single-handedly purcase 1 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine through the Afrexim platform.
However, the coalition in a statement refuted the claim by BUA group, noting that the purchase of the vaccines cannot be done by an individual.
But in a counter-statement, BUA released evidence of its payment of 1 billion Naira to the Central Bank of Nigeria for the purchase of the vaccines.
BUA in the statement claimed some persons within the group are being petty. It also revealed that the offer to donate for the intiative was tabled at a meeting with the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, however, none of the other members were willing to donate.
The statement said that BUA was shocked over the report attributed to CACOVID which disowned its payment of 1 million AstraZeneca doses for Nigerians, stating that the purchase was done in good faith.
It said that at the CACOVID steering committee meeting held on Monday the CBN Governor disclosed that CACOVID had been given the opportunity through the Afrexim Platform to access and pay for 1 million doses, but that it took it upon itself to purchase the vaccines when other members showed no interest in the payment.
February 9, 2021
BUA Cement to construct cement plants in Sokoto, Edo and Adamawa
BUA Cement has signed an agreement with Sinoma CBMI of China for the construction of three new cement plants of 3 million tons each per year in Edo, Sokoto and Adamawa states of Nigeria, to be completed by the end of 2022. Upon completion, this will bring BUA Cement’s total capacity to 20 million metric t by 2022. At 9 million t combined capacity, this is the single largest contract ever awarded in the Nigerian Cement Industry for the construction of new cement plants at the same time and by a single company, in Nigeria.
These new plants are in addition to BUA Cement’s existing 6 mmtpy plants in Edo State, 2 mmtpy plants in Sokoto State and another 3 mmtpy BUA Cement plant in Sokoto – which will be commissioned in Q2 2021.
Speaking at the ceremony held simultaneously at BUA HQ in Lagos and the CBMI HQ in China, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Cement said the expansion decision was to transform the manufacturing industry and increase Nigeria’s cement production capacity, noting that “Nigeria and the surrounding region is still home to huge opportunities in construction, housing, infrastructure, and allied industries.”
According to Abdul Samad Rabiu, “Despite these opportunities, there is no doubt that there is still a huge deficit in supply whilst demand continues to increase in Nigeria. This situation has led to an increase in the retail prices of cement despite ex-factory prices remaining partially unchanged. To bridge this huge deficit gap in Nigeria and in the absence of new major investments in the industry, we have taken this decision to invest and build these new plants at a total project cost of US$1.05 billion which will be completed by the end of 2022.”
In his comments, Mr. Tong Laigou, Chairman of SINOMA CBMI, praised the longstanding partnership between BUA and CBMI. SINOMA CBMI was pleased to work with BUA on this huge project and help BUA in its aspiration to be the best cement manufacturer in Africa. He further added that CBMI would bring their expertise and wealth of experience working in this environment to bring the project to completion on schedule.
January 6, 2021
Ikpeazu Receives Three Ambulances From BUA Group
FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19…
By Linus Effiong Umuahia
The BUA Group has presented three ambulances to the Abia State Government as part of its support for the fight against Covid-19 disease.
Receiving the vehicles in Government House Umuahia, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu thanked the BUA Group for her timely intervention in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic. He noted that the BUA Group has shown empathy, love and care for the average Nigerian since the outbreak of Covid-19 disease and assured that the vehicles would be put to good use in reaching the hinterlands.
The Governor disclosed that Abia State has started community testing in all the Local Government Areas in the State with a view to covering at least 30% of the population. He informed that two more labouratory centres would soon be set up in Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, adding that the idea is to have at least six molecular labouratories in the State in the near future. He promised that the State Government would continue to synergize with the BUA Group to bring the best to Abia State.
Presenting the vehicles earlier, the
representative of the Chairman of BUA Group, Alhaji Muhammed Ibrahim said as part of corporate responsibilities of the group, it decided to partner Federal government and States to support the fight against Covid-19.
He commended Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for his giant strides in infrastructural development in the State and congratulated the Governor for successfully overcoming the attack of Covid.
Earlier Mr. Kelechi Onuiri who facilitated the donation told the Governor that the BUA Group is happy to associate with his administration in the fight against Covid-19 and even beyond.
Deputy Governor Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, Secretary to Government, Barrister Chris Ezem, Honorable Commissioner for Health, Dr Osuji and some other members of the State Executive Council were present at the event.
August 17, 2020