Dangote Rice Limited which started its out growers scheme in 2016 with thousands of hectares of land in Hadejia, Jigawa State, with a capacity to process 16 metric tons of paddy rice per hour, is involved in a N524m scandal.

By Dauda Ismail

In a petition written to AljazirahNigeria by Iyola Oyedepo & Company, Solicitors to the Youth Farmers, a partner of Dangote Rice Limited, and signed by Paul Ajiroba Esq, stated that, “Precisely 18th January 2016, some responsible unemployed graduate under the leadership of Umar Etudaye, the former Deputy Majority Leader, Nigeria Youth Parliament, came together with the aim of empowering themselves in Agriculture in order to be self-reliant.”
According to them, during the National Economic Dialogue in Kwara on august 16 2016, “a communiqué was reached for the first time in Nigeria with the aim of embarking on rice farming to empower themselves in order to reduce unemployment in Nigeria.”
The said communiqué was sent to the office of Dangote rice Limited and was received by Mr Robert Coleman and Mr D. V. G. Edwin. The company eventually agreed to partner with the youth by financially supporting them. A further meeting was held at Obajana with Mr D. V. G. Edwin, Group Executive Director, Dangote Group Plc, and Mr Robert Coleman, Managing Director, Dangote Rice Limited, and the farmers’ leadership to seal the deal.
The project was expected to last for 2 years (four farming seasons), renewable thereafter. Both parties also agreed that the rice paddy upon harvest, will be sold back to the company and the capital spent will be deduced before crediting the youth farmers on the profit.
Parties also agreed that Dangote Rice will pay a monthly stipend of N40,000 to the 50 youth farmers to assist in accommodation, feeding, transport and other ancillary expenses, which sum will be deduced at the end of the farming season.
The youths had then embarked on a screening process of only unemployed graduates, a process who were eventually interviewed by the company with the 50 farmers emerging.
The company made overpayments which according to he youths they found out was intended to defraud them.
“After, the end of the first season sometimes in September ending, 2017 a flag off was done in Ejiba on 10th October, 2017 for the programme which was on Channels Television 16th of October, 2017, and Daily Trust Newspaper on October 16th, 2017 particularly on page 17 also on YOUTUBE. At this flag off, Mr. D.V.G. Edwin, Mr. Robert Coleman and Dr. Nndidi Edoziene all from Dangote Group Headquarters was in attendance with the youth farmers and some invited guests. The efforts and results of the first season as analyzed, the challenges faced, the results achieved and the way out for better results in the subsequent seasons. These issues were discussed at the flag off ceremony to the extent that the top officials acclaimed that multi-millions of Naira was invested in the project that the youth has been empowered, but the youth can boldly say that, it is a deceit, non was empowered but rather used and dumped by the officials of the company using the avenue to deceive the members of the public.
“After the end of the first season, the leadership of the youth demanded tht the Dangote Group Plc Management probe the Dangote Rice Department upon the evidence of fraud provided by the youth farmers via a petition. Thus, the youth farmers refused to embark on the second season considering the challenges and frustration they faced from the officials of the Dangote Rice Limited, but out of goodwill from the youth and in order not to drag the name of the company in the mud, the youth farmers had a meeting with the management of the Dangote Rice Limited on 11th and 12th January, 201 to discuss the challenges of the first season and the way out for second season.
“On 11th and 12th January, 2018 the youth farm leadership was at Dangote Head Office, Marble House in Ikoyi, Lagos State to discuss about the season two and the cost implications. Those in attendance were the leadership of the Youth farmers and the leadership of Dangote Rice Limited. They both agreed on the way forward and a resolution was reached for a season two on 16th on January, 2018. Kindly find attached sir, the resolution and agreement.
“While awaiting the response from the Dangote Rice Limited, an official of the company, Dr. Sanni Dawop came to Ilorin to serve the leadership a suspension letter contrary to the agreement reached on 16th of January, 2018 which the youth objected to. later on, Sanni went to Ejiba with the intention to burgle into the youth farm warehouse by instigating and inducing the local farmers against our members. He also induced policemen to arrest the youth farmers. On this note, the youth wrote through the lawyers to Mr. D.V.G. Edwin to Dangote Group Executive Director against this act by Mr. Sanni but no response from him. We also wrote to commissioner of police for police protection against this harassment against the youth farmers.
“On Sunday 20th May, 2018, another set of officials of Dangote Rice Limited led by a female staff, Mrs. Elizabeth Adegbola went to burgle the warehouse of the youth farmers in Ejiba without the express notification of the youth farmers and all the farmers input belonging to the youth farmers including the personal belongings were taken away by official costing 10million naira only. We will like to say vat this junction that the cartels in Dangote Rice Limited through the conspiracy, fraudulent act as truncated, dehumanize, intimidate, oppressed and frustrated the youth farmers from having any profit from the rice farm despite their sweat in the first season. During the first season, the youth farmers spent millions of naira from their pocket to make the project successful but the cartels of the Dangote Rice Limited did not allow the project to come to reality, more so, the youth farmers harvested over 30 metric tons of rice paddy without any dime paid to the youth farmers.”
The youth therefore demanded for justice seeking the following reliefs:
Ten million, seven hundred and sixty thousand naira as balance for unpaid stipends of June, July, August, September and October 2017.
Four million, three hundred and eighty thousand naira as payment for the 30 metric tonnes of rice paddy carted away by Dangote Rice Management on 1st November, 2017.
Ten million naira for the farm implement and input carted away during the unlawful burgle of the youth farmers’ warehouse on Sunday 20th May, 2018 by Mrs. Elizabeth Adegbola of Dangote Rice Limited.
Damaging of five hundred million naira for the losses in the project and livelihood against the fifty youth farmers.
Damage of two hundred million naira caused jointly and severally during cost of the project in terms of;
A. Physical and intellectual efforts
B. Injury and debts inquired by the youth farmers’ during the cause of the project.
Damaging of seven hundred million naira for maliciously using the name of the youth farmers in Ejiba until the false pretence both on print media and electronic media.”
According to them, “We humbly urge your good office to investigate and prosecute same on the claim that multimillion naira was spent on the youth farm rice project since the youths have been used and dumped by the Dangote Rice Limited.”
Although a letter dated 20th January 2020 was sent Aljaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman Dangote Group of Companies, requesting for clarification on financial misappropriation and fraudulent handling of youth rice farm in Yagba West, Kogi State, AljazirahNigeria was yet to receive a response as at the time of going to press.

https://aljazirahnews.com/dangote-in-n524m-scandal-youth-farmers-accuse/


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