Iluhagba Community Don’t Have Any Challenge with Mangal Cement on CDA Implementation – Monarch
The paramount ruler of Iluhagba – Gbede community in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, His Royal Highness, Oba David Olayemi Samuel has said that his people being the host community of Mangal Cement Company have no challenge in the implementation of the Community Development Agreement (CDA) signed with the organization, pointed out that they are glad such gigantic industry was located on their soil despite their small size.
The monarch disclosed this in a chat with our reporter who was in his palace at Iluhagba to have an audience with him on some fundamental issues on the relationship of the community with the company.
According to him, he thanked God that he was alive to witness such landmark development in the community, added that he left the Iluhagba community in 1972 to go and look for greener pastures and returned home in 2014 after his retirement.
He noted that he wanted to be a pastor after his retirement but God redirected him to be the king of the community, pointing out that within the six years of his reign as the monarch of the community, God located them with the great gift that have made people worldwide to hear and know Iluhagba as a community.
Oba Samuel said the company originally was to be sited in Mopa land but due to disagreement between the landowners, the management of the company decided to relocate the plant to Iluhagba which has turned around the fortune of the community and its environs around for good.
He said though the CDA signed by the community with the company is not perfect because of the person that handled it then but he is glad to let the public know that the community doesn’t have any challenge with the company as the management is readily available to listen to them anytime issues arise, and stated that it is expected not all the people will support an idea.
He further said two agreements were entered by the company with the community, first, the relocation agreement which affected only those their houses were affected in Iluhagba community, second agreement was signed in Iluhagba – Gbede community which means it is not only Iluhagba Community that will benefit, but it covers all the catchment area of Gbede and Ijumu as a whole, pointed out that though it is on their land but it will be good others benefits from it, since no one knows what tomorrow holds for other communities in Ijumuland.
“We are small in Iluhagba, we cannot be the only beneficiary of the company hence we included the entire Gbede land under Olugbede, since the second agreement signed have Gbede on it, that is why when they brought six boreholes and ten scholarship slots as captured in the CDA agreement, I have to take it to Olugbede of Gbede, it was at that point it was agreed that Iluhagba community should take 3 boreholes being fifty percent, while one in Odokoro-Gbede, one in Agirigbon -gbede and the last one in Iyara, Ijumu Arin”
“On the scholarship, it was also agreed that the Iluhagba community should take six slots while the remaining four slots were shared among Gbede communities and Ijumu Oke district to capture the entire Ijumu land. As of today, the beneficiaries of the scholarship have since received the money through their bank accounts submitted to the company through our representatives, they all confirmed that they received it”
He further noted that the six boreholes and the scholarship slots have been delivered hundred percent, stressing that anyone that said the Iluhagba community lacks water is only lying, saying the total boreholes functioning across the community today is 12 (twelve).
“The company is trying its best, they just started production in the middle or late last year, so I believe we should give them time, though some of the works they are not able to complete last year, they have promised to complete this year especially the road to the relocation site, construction of a police station to enhance security in the community”
“Myself and other chiefs in the community usually hold meetings at the market square with the company management to discuss anything we need, I don’t hold such meetings in my palace because of transparency and the management are cooperating very well”
The monarch said the community only leased the land where they are taking the raw materials from for a period of five years, renewable to the company while they sold where the plant was built to them.
On security, the monarch said they don’t have any security challenges, stressing that there has not been any record of kidnapping, killings or banditry in the community since the company started construction a few years ago, pointed out that despite this, the hunters and vigilantes are on ground keeping watch on the community against any intruders, pointed out that with the help of the company the police station will soon be completed.
He appealed to the government to assist in removing those hawking/hanging along the road in the community to allow for a smooth movement in and around the community, saying that the community is happy to have the company on their soil.
