Dangote Cement Plc has clarified that it was still working, in collaboration with its Insurance firm, on the compensation for victims of the January 23 truck accident, which occurred in Akungba-Akoko in Ondo state.
Spokesman for the Dangote Group, Mr. Anthony Chiejina explained that the initial sum of N500,000 already paid to each family of the eight students killed in the accident was just to offset burial and incidental expenses their families incurred.
In a statement issued in Lagos, he noted that the Company acted with dispatch to disburse the money to defray the burial expenses, knowing fully well that the bereaved families could not have been waiting for insurance compensations before burying their loved ones.
Mr. Chiejina, who described the incident as highly regrettable, explained that the Company and the Insurance firm have begun the documentation of all victims including those who lost their properties, for the purpose of compensating them.
According to him “the N500,000 paid to the families of the deceased was meant for the Burial and Incidental expenses. The Dangote Insurers are currently meeting with all stakeholders for settlement of all medical expenses incurred as a result of the accident, payment of disability benefits, Compensation for damaged properties and payment of death benefits to families of the deceased”
It would be recalled that the President of the Student Union Government, Mr. Oluwasegun Obagunwa, in a statement he issued earlier, had confirmed the payment of N500,000 by Dangote Cement Plc, as burial expenses.
The SUG President in the statement, said Dangote Insurers are currently meeting with all stakeholders for settlement of all medical expenses incurred as a result of the accident, payment of disability benefits, compensation for damaged properties, and payment of death benefits to the families of the deceased.
“The Students’ Union Government wishes to announce to the students and the entire populace that the Dangote group of companies has reached out to all the families of the victims to pay them condolence visits.
“The N500,000 has already been paid to each of the families. There are other ongoing plans by the Dangote Group to further compensate the victims and their families in due course,’’ he said.
Mr. Chiejina said the management of Dangote Cement is saddened by the development and that beyond compensation, the Company would also give the victims’ families other benefits as agreed with stakeholders.