National Conference on the Revival of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to hasten work on the revival of the project before he leaves office next year.A communiqué issued at the end of its meeting on November 25 in Abuja, the Conference also wants the proposed Steel University to be sited in Ajaokuta, Kogi State.
The event was organized by NGO Network in collaboration with Institute for Governance and Leadership Studies in Africa and CSO Coalition for the Revival of Ajaokuta Steel Company.
The conference complained that the delay in the revival of the steel industry spanning over 30 years, has caused untold hardship to workers, retirees, youths and women across borders that have skills, and trained but not utilized, thereby increasing redundancy, capacity gaps and unemployment in large scale, crimes and drug abuse among teenagers.
It said that the delay in the completion of the Ajaokuta Steel Company had been due to lack of Political will “until President Muammadu Buhari came to power in 2015.
“Infrastructural development has been undermined along the mining and steel areas which include roads, electricity, water supplies and has set the nation steadily backward over a long period of time.”
The Conference observed that there has been a disconnect between the local people, state and federal government on the value addition of local community which informed the crises recorded in the past that resulted into destruction of properties and stolen of assets at the feeder Agency.
It also observed that the biggest challenge hindering the quick revival and administration of the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited is funding, even as the 2022 Budget Proposal undermines the efforts towards making Nigeria an industrialized nation.
The Conference recommended the following as key issues to take forward to the National Conference:
Commended President Muhammed Buhari’s commitment to the revival of the steel industry as exhibited in his visit to Russia, setting up the Ajaokuta Presidential Project Implementation Team (APPIT) and a recommendation to negotiate with the foreign partners on the legal tussles caused by the termination of the contract, but appealed that he should go a step forward by ensuring adequate and regular order to the supervising Ministry to ensure the foreign partners commences the Audit of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL) and National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO).
That government should as a matter of urgency and necessity, consider the inclusion of a representative of civil society organization in the Ajaokuta Presidential Project Implementation Team (APPIT) to promote inclusiveness and ownership by the people.
That to reduce unemployment among the youths and the citizenry, the government should as a matter of urgency, ensure the commencement of audit of Ajaokta Steel Company and feeder company, National Iron Ore Mining Company.
That government should initiate the recall of retired staff that have the skill, technical knowhow and experience to help in training, which will help to reduce the cost of foreign experts to train workers.
Called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on the federal roads connecting Lokoja, Ajaokuta, Itakpe, Okene and environs for enhanced social economic activities while noting that the revival of the steel plant will assist greatly in revamping the power generation to the companies and adjourning states and FCT.
That a Host Community Relations Initiative that will identify certain statutory benefits to the people of the areas as compensation should be put in place by the Federal Government with adequate funding and monitoring.
That it supports the ongoing proposal to the National Assembly for the establishment of a Steel University in Nigeria, which should be in Kogi State, specifically for the purpose of training of youths and by extension reduce capital flight among trained experts currently working in other countries where their steel industries are working.
That the current statutory allocation of meager One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (₦150,000,000.00) as yearly overheads should be increased in three folds or more, above under mining and steel companies, to enable it function effectively, while it is strongly advised that government should collaborate with the organized private and non-profit sectors of Nigeria to seek alternative funding sources for the mines and steel industries.
Those who signed the communiqué are Otumba Dele Ajayi-Smith, chairman,
Dr. Idris Jimoh (Joly) of the African Citizen Development Foundation, Lagos State Level Stakeholders; Hajia Medina Nadabo Dauda of the Next Generation Youth Initiative Int’l., Makurdi.
