Dangote Group, on Tuesday, commenced sugar plantation and factory project in Lau Local Government of Taraba state.
This was made known by Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba on Tuesday, shortly after signing a reviewed agreement with the company for smooth take off of the project.
The governor disclosed that the company paid the state government N1.2 billion as compensation for 16,000 hectares of land for the project.
Ishaku regretted that a dispute on welfare of the host community was partly responsible for the 13 years delay in the commencement of the project.
He, however, commended the company for agreeing to perform its social responsibility, adding that the state would ensure that all land compensation issues were addressed.
The governor said the company would produce large quantity of sugar, animal feeds and ethanol, an energy source that he described as “white oil”.
Earlier, the state’s Commissioner for Justice, Mr Yusufu Akirikwen, said that the state currently had six per cent equity shares in Dangote Group, having successfully reviewed the contract it earlier signed.
The representative of Dangote Group, Mr Joseph Makoju, however, commended the governor “for his passion and commitment to clear all hitches on the way of the project.