Chairman of Ashaka Cement Plc , Alhaji Umaru Kwairanga, has appealed to shareholders to attend the company's annual general meeting (AGM) of the company scheduled for Thursday, in Gombe State, assuring that adequate arrangements have been made for their safety.

The board of directors has recommended that the AGM be held in company's premises in Gombe State noting that the venue had already been approved by the regulators.

However, some shareholders of the company have written to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), kicking against the venue of the meeting.

The shareholders, under the aegis of Proactive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Ibadan, Dynamic Shareholders Association of Nigeria and Shareholders Alliance Association, through their legal counsel, Okeke and Company, noted that Gombe State in general and Ashaka town in particular, witnessed several violence with attendant loss of lives recently.

But speaking to THISDAY on the issue last Friday, Kwairanga said the petition of the shareholders had some ulterior motives because the notice of the AGM was published a long time ago without any objection.

"Why is it that less than a week to the meeting, they are kicking against the venue? It is the responsibility of the chairman and directors to fix the venue of the AGM. We have followed the rules according to the relevant laws and regulators have approved the venue of the meeting. It is not compulsory that all the shareholders must attend the meeting. Those who cannot make can send proxies," he said.

Kwairanga noted that most of the other shareholders had indicated their interest to be at the meeting and '"we have made adequate security arrangements with relevant authorities to ensure a smooth and successful meeting," he said.