By Our Reporter
Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has assured Ajaokuta Steel of its complete revival during his tenure so the country can tap into all the economic spin offs, which include the creation of over 500,000 jobs and infrastructure upgrade.
He made the pledge when the management team of the company visited him at Government House, Lokoja, where he stressed the need to utilise natural resources, and promised to make “concrete demands” of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said he will also press Mineral Resources Minister, Kayode Fayemi, over the steel complex, which is owned by the federal government.
“I will go to Mr president with practical solutions to the problems,” Bello promised.
“I want to let him know all that is involved, who started it, where it is now, what is required to complete it, who should complete it, and how funds can be sourced to complete it.
“I want to tell him everything needed and I will follow up on the matter until that place is up and running.”
Bello praised the management for keeping the company up and promised to visit it for an on-the-spot assessment.
Ajaokuta Steel Sole Administration, Isah Joseph, who led the delegation, disclosed that there are 43 different companies in the plant, which could be put to productive use within months if brought on stream with $500 million.
“Forty of the companies are 100 per cent completed and can be put into operation in a few months. The greatest obstacle, and that is why the Russians who built the place left in 1994, is that of external infrastructure,” Joseph added.
“They got the place to 98 per cent completion and they kept asking the federal government, ‘How are we going to bring in the raw materials?’
“We are supposed to have a rail line from Ajaokuta connecting to Oturpko to Onne where coking coal can be imported. All we need is the political will to do it.”
Joseph praised the courage of Bello to confront the opponents of the project and press on with it so that Nigeria does not continue to depend on oil.
“We seize this opportunity to congratulate you on your first 100 days in office which has been filled with positive action. We are very proud of you.
“Indeed, the recent call by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, on Northern governors at the 50th anniversary of the demise of the Premier of Northern Nigeria, Ahmadu Bello, to [ensure] that Ajaokuta Steel plant is completed to the glory of the North and Nigeria in general, is a greater challenge to your administration; being the host governor of the project.
“With the state of the oil and gas industry today, the nation is crying for the diversification of our economy from its mono-product driven nature. This is where Ajaokuta Steel plant comes handy.”
Bello’s Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser, Otayite Akerejola, reiterated that the company holds immense economic promise for both the state and the nation.
Said he: “The annual revenue generation from the project when commissioned will substantially impact on the internally generated revenue of the state. Okaba and Ogboyega coy deposits will also find ready markets at Ajaokuta and elsewhere in the country.
“Also, the planned rail link from Jakura to Eganyi will open up the limestone dolomite and other mineral deposits of the central and western senatorial district to Ajaokuta and other markets.
“These new rail networks will link Kogi State to the coastal ports and international markets.
“The direct impact of these gargantuan investments on the socio-economic life of Kogi State can therefore only be imagined as upstream, downstream and spin-off industries will spring up in the entire state and even to over 400km radius from Ajaokuta.
“Thus from Idah to Ankpa to Anyingba to Adogo to Okene to Kabba to Egbe and from Ogori to Okene to Lokoja to Kotonkarfe and, indeed the entire state, will become one vast industrial estate.
“Unemployment, the bane of our youths and its attendant security connotation, will become a thing of the past in the state.”
Akerejola, who is also a member of the Kogi State Committee on the Revitalisation of the Ajaokuta Steel Company, said the first phase of 1.3 million tonnes of liquid steel production could generate direct employment of 10,000 technical staff.
And, he added, up to 500,000 indirect jobs would also be created for unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled manpower in the mines, transportation, downstream, and upstream industries, and other services.
