•DANGOTE plant

By JAMES KUNDA –

THE US$400 million Dangote cement factory in Masaiti has commenced operations following the completion of construction early this year.
The plant has rekindled hope of further poverty reduction in the area, because it joins other cement and lime industry companies in the area that continue to offer jobs to locals.
Dangote Cement operations director Anand Kameshwar said in an interview recently that work on the plant had been completed and it was already working ahead of commissioning which will be done soon.
“We have commenced production and the commissioning will be done as soon as necessary logistics are put in place,” he said.
The company is a subsidiary of Dangote Group of Companies which is owned by Africa’s wealthiest man Aliko Dangote.
It engaged Simoma International Engineering, Rockseed Engineering and Ayoki Fabricon Limited during the four-year construction period.
The cement plant, which has an installed capacity to produce 1.5 million tonnes of cement per annum, has been equipped with a 30 Mega Watt power plant.
The power plant was put up at a cost of $50 million to ensure uninterrupted supply and relieve pressure off Zesco.
The coming up of Dangote brings the total number of Cement factories in the area to three, following the current operations of Zambezi Portland and Lafarge Cement.
Senior Chief Chiwala said the plant is a welcome relief in the fight against poverty and unemployment in his chiefdom.
“Youths in this area have been dependent on charcoal burning for survival but the coming of companies such as Dangote offering reasonable employment, will help turn around the situation,” the Chief said.
Dangote, which is investing another $400 million in a similar plant in Lusaka, has operations in several countries in Southern Africa including, Tanzania and South Africa.