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THE Coalition of South East Leaders, COSEYL, the umbrella body of all the youth organizations in the South East zone has expressed alarm and concern at seeing the sudden arrival into states of the South East of Almajirai and some suspected jihadists through trucks belonging to Dangote Group and violating the federal and state governments’ lockdown order and ban on interstate movements.
This seeming ploy and stratagem, which enable these persons to inundate the South East at a time governments at all levels are battling to contain and curtail the novel Coronavirus, a contagion decimating humanity is not ideal.
The coalition said in a statement signed by Goodluck Egwu Ibem, President General and Kanice Igwe, Secretary-General that “It is sad and disappointing that since Alhaji Aliko Dangote started spreading his economic tentacles around the South East, there is no visible social corporate responsibility project traceable to the Group throughout the entire region. As sad as this seems, Dangote Group should have, as a legal person and entity shown itself as a socially responsible corporate citizen then what is unfolding.”
“We call on Dangote because being the executive head of the Group and a leading investor in Africa, it is debasement on the Group and by extension its head that the region, which constitutes one of its largest markets, will be so rewarded. Aside social corporate responsibility, there is no known empowerment scheme to our knowledge one could say is the Group’s or Dangote’s project. Is it with this malicious act that the Group and its head rewards a region that has given more than it has taken?
“Again, we are aware that Northern governors had a joint resolution at their regional forum where they resolved that each governor takes its own state’s almajirai back. News has it that a good number of these kids tested positive for Covid-19 and the governors to this end could not keep their parts of the bargain as they are now being shipped down South. Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, and other Northern states rank top among states with infected Almajirai, is it to decentralise the virus that motivated this act?
“The Almajirai are legitimate beings, but under evil times as this, they now must find a home in the Southeast. Our growing concern is informed by the fact that of the covid-19 cases confirmed in Kano, Almajirai has high figures. Not forgetful of the harvest of road accidents that have greeted South East from trucks carrying the Group’s goods, the Coalition asks Dangote Group and its head if the South East needs Almajirai more than palliatives towards which the Group’s head had immensely contributed in the North?
“We wish to remind the Group that beyond writing letters to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, it must live up to its billing and live, operate and confine itself within the extant laws of the federation, especially by abiding with all stipulated guidelines of ensuring safety. We demand that the Group reviews itself further and inwardly so that this danger is not seen to be repeating itself.
“The Group should do assessment and findings so as to ascertain why and where this evil is coming from as a stitch in time saves nine. South East, it should be borne in mind, is not any region’s dumping ground,”
– June 1, 2020 @ 10:20 GMT /
Tags: Dangote has questions to answer on influx of Almajirai into the South–East through his trucks - COSEYLMost Read
