The Dangote Group on Monday said it had no relationship whatsoever with International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) as claimed by an online publication.
Mr Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief, Branding & Communications, Dangote Group, said, “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 Dangote Group of Companies refutes in its entirety the claims made in the story and condemns the deliberate attempt by Sahara Reporters to implicate our organisation in a matter we know nothing about.”
He said the group or any of its business units had no dealings on the coastline terminals in Onne Ports Complex nor was in anyway in any agreement or partnership with the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) or ICSTSI for control of operation of any of its berths in the complex.
He explained that the stand of the Group on the matter was justified by a letter dated Sunday, May 9, 2021 sent from Manila, Philippines, by ICTSI’s Senior Vice-President, Philippines, Hans-Ole Madsen, to the editor of Sahara Reporters, which 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.”
Chiejina, therefore, said it smacked of irresponsible journalism for Sahara Reporters to “publish such an ill-researched, libelous 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.”