Nasarawa State Government has promised to pay compensation to Kafin Moyi Community for their lands which was acquired by the state government to ensure unhindered take-off of activities at the Dangote Sugar Cane Plantation and Sugar Refinery in Tunga, Awe Local Government area of the state.
The Secretary to the state government, Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi, said “This was arrived at during a meeting held between Governor Umaru Al-Makura and stakeholders from Dangote Group, Awe communities and state government officials.
“It could be recalled that Sugar Cane Plantation and Refinery Project of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc was cited in Awe Local Government area of Nasarawa state and it facilitated the acquisition of land in Tunga , Awe, Azara, Wuse and Akiri communities for the successful implementation of the project.”
He said following claims and counter-claims of ownership of land by the communities affected by this project, the Governor convened a meeting of stakeholders of the affected communities and the Dangote Sugar Company Ltd, where it was agreed that the State Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning should carry out detailed survey exercise (demarcation and beaconing) of the entire land earmarked for the Dangote Sugar Refinery Project in Tunga, Awe, Azara, Wuse and Akiri.
According to him, pursuant to the recommendations of the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning to wit, government should take over possession of all the disputed lands within Kafin–Moyi, Dunya, Baure, Kadai and Azara communities and in the exercise of powers conferred on the governor of the state by the Land Use Act in addition to the need for peace, security and harmonious co-existence among the affected communities as well as the benefits derivable from the Sugar Refinery Project not only to the aforementioned communities, but Nasarawa state in general.
“The state government has taken over all the disputed lands in the affected communities and donated same to the Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc for its Nasarawa Sugar Project in Awe Local Government Area,” Abdullahi said.
He added that Governor Al-Makura has approved that the affected community of Kafin-Moyi be paid their compensation, while they are enjoined to provide unfettered access to Dangote Group to the said land without any let or hindrance so that the project can continue uninterrupted.
He added that the company has further been enjoined to ensure that the proposed Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Projects affect all communities in the area.
However, sources said the land covers 60,000 hectares in the area.
