Tanko Mohammed
Dangote Group of Companies has said that the company do not own or affiliate with the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI).
Mr Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief, Branding and Communications, Dangote Group, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos.
Chejina said the group attention has been drawn to an online publication by Sahara Reporters titled ‘EXCLUSIVE:
He said the report states “How suspended Nigerian Ports Authority Boss, Hadiza Usman awarded coastline terminals to Dangote’s Proxy Company In shady deal’, dated May 9.
“We want to state without equivocation that Dangote Group does not own and has no affiliation whatsoever with ICTSI as was suggested in the publication.
“The group refutes in entirety the claims made in the story and condemn the deliberate attempt by Sahara reporters to implicate our organisation in a matter we know nothing about.
“The group or any of our business units has no dealings on the coastline terminals in Onne Ports Complex.
`Or in anyway in agreement or partnership with the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) or ICSTSI for control of operation of any of its berths in the complex,” he said.
Chiejina noted that their stand on the matter was justified by a letter dated May 9, sent from Manila, Philippines, by ICTSI, Senior Vice-President, Philippines, Hans-Ole Madsen, to the Editor, Sahara reporters.
The report states: “We would like to clarify that International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) is a Philippine publicly listed independent company engaged in the operation of 33 ports on 6 continents.
“ICTSI ranks as top-10 port operator in the world. ICSTSI is not owned or in any way affiliated with the Dangote group of companies,” it said.
He said that it smacks of irresponsible journalism for Sahara reporters to publish such an ill-researched, libellous and foul-intentioned story, aimed at tarnishing the good image of a responsible organisation.
“We are consulting with our legal department on the steps to take on the issue and our decision will be communicated in due course.
“The group supports responsible journalism that respects the sacredness of facts and uphold the noble ethics of journalism,” he said.
