By Scholastica Hir, Makurdi

Chairman and chief executive officer of Dangote Groups, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has disclosed in Makurdi, the Benue State capital that he has budgeted N350 million to carry out his social responsibility to the people of Mbayion, the host community to Benue Cement Company (BCC), Gboko.

He also disclosed that he has invested N3 billion in the cement industry alone to boost production, assuring that the price per bag of cement would come down by at least N1,000 by the year 2010.

Alhaji Dangote who paid a visit to Governor Gabriel Suswam spoke to reporters after the meeting, saying as part of the efforts to stabilize the company, Benue State topped on its priority list, explaining that the company was set to develop the host community in various ways including provision of infrastructural facilities and individual empowerment.

"We are aware of the agitation for infrastructural development as well as the need for empowerment of the people of the area", he said.

Members of the host community, it would be recalled, have severally brought production in the company to a stop in their demand for compensation.

He said at the time of hand over to him in the year 2000 after the privatization process was completed, BCC was producing 25 trucks per day, but disclosed that his rehabilitation and expansion programme at the factory has improved the production. He said by September this year, BCC would be producing 200 trucks per day and that after the completion of the expansion programme, the company’s target would be 500 trucks per day.