The Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje and other prominent personalities in the state have waded into the dispute between two of Nigeria’s cement manufacturing business moguls, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, in hopes of reconciling both men who are also prominent indigenes of Kano State.
The dispute between both men had hitherto, been about the establishment of a sugar refinery by BUA Group in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The intervention of the Kano state governor was disclosed in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Abba Anwar, on Thursday in Kano, stating that the reconciliation meeting took place on Wednesday in Abuja.
The statement also disclosed that Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Kano Emirate and the Kano State Council of Imams joined the governor in the reconciliation meeting.
Anwar said that after the meeting, Dangote and Rabiu agreed to work together to supply enough sugar to satisfy the demand of the country adding that the meeting has put a stop to all rumours that the duo were in dispute over sugar business control in the country.
He said that they all dismissed allegations that Dangote wants an increase in sugar price, and so was putting pressure on BUA to give in to the increment describing the allegation as baseless and lacking any iota of truth.
READ: BUA says its export-focused sugar project will create jobs and checkmate price hike
The meeting is seen as the climax of other similar efforts to reconcile the two giants by the governor with Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata playing the role of a father during the meeting.
Also at the meeting were the Minister for Commerce, Trade and Investment, Mr Niyi Adebayo and representatives of the Kano Emirate, Alhaji Aminu Dan-Agundi, Chairman of the Council of Kano Imams, Sheikh Muhammad Nasir-Adam, the Chief Imam of Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Mosque, Kofar Mata, Kano and the Chairman of NEPZA, Adamu Panda.
The two business moguls agreed to work together in unity for the growth and development of the nation.
READ: Dala Inland Dry Port set to take off after N2.3 billion investment – Kano Govt.
In case you missed it
Recall that some days ago, there were media reports that Dangote complained about the establishment of a sugar plant by BUA International Limited in the Port Harcourt free trade zone, saying it was out of tune with export laws.
Dangote, the Chairman of Dangote Sugar Refinery, in a letter jointly signed with John Coumantaros, Chairman of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, a fellow sugar refiner, told the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, that BUA intends only on importing and refining raw sugar whilst claiming to be investing in developing sugar plantations in order to qualify for quotas to import raw sugar.
