The US$400 million Dangote Cement Plc plant in Masaiti on the Copperbelt is scheduled to start operations this month-end, Group chief executive officer Aliko Dangote has said.
Speaking to journalists at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport shortly after touring the plant, Mr Dangote explained that floods triggered by heavy rain and bureaucracy in acquiring a permit from the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) caused delays in the commissioning of the cement plant, which was earlier scheduled to start operations before the end of last year.
Forbes lists Mr Dangote, 57, a Nigerian businessman, as Africa’s richest man with net assets worth US$21.6 billion.
“There was a delay of getting a permit from ZEMA, which actually made us start production late but I think we are overcoming that, hopefully we can start in two to three weeks or so.
“We are overcoming that but as you know, the rainy season this year has been intense but it has given us a lesson to protect ourselves next time we are in operation,” Mr Dangote said.
“So by and large, we are pushing and the team will try and deliver the factory by the end of this month. Our power is already on…we have power and we are making good progress,” he said.
Once operational, Dangote Cement Plant is expected to create 1,000 jobs, with a production capacity of 1.5 million tonnes annually.
Mr Dangote also said progress has been made on the cement plant in Lusaka.
He said Sinoma Engineering, the contractor engaged to construct the Dangote Cement Plant in Masaiti, will move on site to begin works in Lusaka.
“We have made good progress on the plant in Lusaka, we have already got permission to get into the land and start mining, so hopefully the same contractor might move there and build an identical plant with the one in Masaiti,” Mr Dangote said.
The cement plant in Chilanga will cost about US$420 million.
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