BUA Group replies Kogi Assembly, shuns interest in Kogi Land

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    As BUA Group has shun interest in Kogi Land, the Group replied Kogi State Assembly over threat to revoke 50,000 Hectares of land allocated to the company for development in 2012 over non-payment of compensation.

    The company has opted to have the Certificate of Occupancy revoked by the State in view of the fact that not only did lack of infrastructure to provide access to the land a hindrance, there have been recurring security challenges around the area in the years after the initial indication of interest and granting of the C of O. Moreover, the terrain of the land in question, after feasibility was done revealed that it would not able to serve the purpose for which BUA intended.

    “We conducted feasibility on the land and found out that only about 30% of the entire land mass is suitable for investment, with the rest consisting of rocks, hilly and undulating areas which is not suitable for its intended purpose”, said BUA Group.
    In the statement issued by the BUA Group, they disclosed that ‘since their invitation by the State Government in 2012 to invest in the State through the land, no visible effort by the State Government and its successors to address issues of access to the land. As an investor, BUA also claimed that issues of security of its investment as well as staff is also paramount hence the company had to think twice given the deteriorating security situation in the area.

    The company further revealed that it has a record of being one of the best when it comes to paying of dues and entitlements to States and local indigenes anywhere it operates and this is verifiable in all the states where it has investments.
    “As a responsible organisation, we believe in the principle of equity sustainable business practices and fairness’ and this has been the hallmark of their activities and operations everywhere they do business either with communities or governments”, said BUA group.

    Regretting that the land cannot be used for its intended purposes, the company therefore says the State Government can go ahead and revoke the Certificate of Occupancy.
    This development is sequel to the Kogi Lawmakers Summons BUA Over Unpaid 50,000 Hectare Land.
    It will be recalled that the Kogi House of Assembly summoned cement manufacturing firm, BUA Group, over a 50,000-hectare land it acquired 10 years ago but had yet to pay for it.
    The lawmakers gave the summon at a public hearing of one of its ad-hoc committees held at a hotel in Lokoja since its complex was gutted by fire last Monday.
    Deputy Speaker of the House, Alfa Momoh-Rabiu, who read the summons after listening to the acting Surveyor-General of the State, Salihu Mustapha, expressed shock at the attitude of BUA Group.
    “We are having problems with the BUA Group over 50,000 hectares of land it acquired in 2012 and even obtained a Certificate of Occupancy but has not paid a kobo for the land.
    We have written to the group several times but it has not responded to any of the letters.
    No compensation has been paid to the communities that own the expanse of land,’’ the acting surveyor-general said at the public hearing”, he stressed.
    The ad-hoc committee chairman, Umar Tenimu, said it was an offence for BUA Group to hold the land for more than 10 years without paying for it.
    “The group should be summoned to come and explain why it refused to pay for the land and why it refused to compensate the community involved,” he said.
    He added that if BUA Group refused to pay for the land and compensate the community, the government would revoke the C of O.

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