Dangote bags highest national honour in Republic of Benin

                                                                  
AFRICA’S richest man and President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote was yesterday conferred with the highest national honour in the Republic of Benin, the Grand Commander of the National Order of the Republic of Benin.

President, Republic of Benin, Boni Yayi who bestowed the award on him at a ceremony held at the presidential complex in Cotonou, said the country was proud of the business exploits of Dangote in Africa and could ordinarily reward him to motivate him to do more and for others to emulate him.
Yayi described Aliko Dangote as a true son of Africa and deserved the award having proved his mettle in private sector, noting that the category of award conferred on Dangote is reserved for presidents and heads of state of his country and that Dangote is the first person outside government to bag the award.
He then called on Dangote to come and invest in the country pointing out that opportunities abound in sectors like power, agriculture, telecommunication, agriculture, ports and aviation.
In his response, Dangote expressed deep gratitude for the award which he described as a great honour. He said the award has placed a great burden on him to stay, invest and help develop the republic of Benin.
He promised to partner with the President and the country’s private sector to develop the country.
Amid intermittent applause, Dangote said he will invest heavily in the country especially in the power sector and then announced that his Group will invest about $300 million in a coal fired 200 megawatts power plant.
The memorandum of understanding for the plant was then signed during a brief ceremony where chief of staff to Aliko Dangote, Engineer Joe Makoju signed for the Group while Minister of Power, Benin Republic, Kassa Barthelemy signed for his country.
It will be recalled that the billionaire businessman was on November 14, 2011, conferred with the second highest national honour in Nigeria, the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON) making him one of the ten individuals to be given the honour till date.
President Goodluck Jonathan had praised the business tycoon when he said that Dangote’s entrepreneur spirit has justified the award of GCON bestowed on him by his administration and that Dangote has contributed to the country more than any of the other recipients of the award
The President said that the Dangote group alone has provided close to 30, 000 jobs for Nigerians noting that all the other recipients of the award have not contributed up to 5 percent of what Dangote did for the country.

source: tribune.com.ng