Three villages to relocate for Ashaka cement expansion

No fewer than three villages will be relocated to
protect residents from environmental hazards, as
a result of the expansion of the Ashaka Cement
Company in Gombe State.
Mr Tony Okpara, the company’s General Manager,
Projects, disclosed this in Ladde-Bage village of
Funakaye Local Government Area of the state on
Thursday during the foundation-laying ceremony of
some projects.
He named the three communities as Lariski,
Darumpa and Malari, and said the company was
preparing to spend N262m on the relocation.
The General Manager said the amount would be
spent on the construction of 55 houses, three
blocks of classrooms, clinic, mosque and three
boreholes for the affected communities.
“They (villages) will be relocated to Ladde-Bage
village to facilitate the excavation of the affected
environment.
“This will follow the excavation of limestone in the
area for the purpose of cement production,’’ he
said.
Okpara said the construction work was awarded to
13 indigenous contractors, who were expected to
complete the job within three months.
He said the company had earlier acquired 40
hectares of land in order to relocate the affected
communities.
Mr Lionard Volger, the company’s Managing
Director, expressed their appreciation for the
communities’ co-operation, assuring the residents
that Ashakacem would not toy with its corporate
social responsibility.
He expressed optimism that the contractors would
deliver the jobs according to specification and on
schedule.
Also speaking, Alhaji Umar Kwairanga, Chairman of
the company’s Board of Directors, said the
projects were just about one per cent of what the
firm planned for the host communities.
Kwairanga also assured the communities that the
company would sustain its corporate social
responsibility efforts.
He said the company made a careful selection of
the contractors before the contracts were
awarded.