CSO Holds Conference on Ajaokuta Steel Revival, Highlights Challenges and Solutions to Nigeria's Industrial Growth

By Wale Abideen/ABUJA// The need to revatalize the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company has again been re-echoed at a one-day National Conference on the Revival of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and President Muhammadu Buhari Industrialization Agenda which was held on Thursday November 25, 2021 at the Nigeria Army Resource Centre, Asokoro Abuja.

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.

With the theme: AJAOKUTA STEEL PROJECT AND PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI’S INDUSTRALIZATION AGENDA, the organizers stated that the objectives of the conference is to recognise and appreciate the Ajaokuta Steel Project as a legacy Project of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration.

The conference also highlights challenges in the completion of the Project and recommend appropriate remedial actions.

Speakers at event also encourage both local and international non-state support for speedy completion of the
Ajaokuta Steel Project.

The conference also reiterate the need to facilitate synergy among various MDAs involved in the Project.

The media was also called upon to support the current efforts on the Project while also
ensuring sustainable media visibility of these efforts.

Participants at the conference numbering over 300 were drawn from various sectors of the country including the government, organized private and the not-for-profit sectors. These include the Presidency and relevant officials from Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Management Staff of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and National Iron Ore Mining Company of Nigeria. Others include coalition of civil society organizations from across the country, media chief executives, relevant unions, NGOs, non-state actors and community based organizations.

PAPERS PRESENTED:
Several papers on the theme of the conference were presented by the persons and on following topics:

Keynote Address by the Honourable Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Olamilekun Adegbite – Ajaokuta Steel Project Revival as a Legacy Project of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Special Address by the Secretary to The Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha – Ajaokuta Steel Project and President Muhammadu Buhari Industrialization Agenda.

Special Address by the Honourable Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation – Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu – Science, Technology and Innovation in Nigeria – The Missing Link and the Role of Presidential Executive Order 5.

Participants observed that there has been a long delay in the completion of the Ajaokuta Steel Company due to lack of Political Will until President Muammadu Buhari came to power in 2015.

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.

Infrastructural development has been undermined along the mining and steel areas which include roads, electricity, water supplies and has set the nation steadily backwards over a long period of time.

It was also 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.

The conference attendants 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.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
After an extensive discussion, participants recommended the following as key issues to take forward to the National Conference.

Participants 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).

The 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.

To reduce unemployment among our 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.

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.

A Call 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.

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.

Participants recommended and support 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 including fundraising.

Participants at the one-day conference appreciates President Muhammed Buhari for his commitment to reviving Ajaokuta Steel Company as well as commended the NGO Network; Institute for Governance and Leadership Studies in Africa and the CSO Coalition for the Revival of Ajaoukta Steel Project for their patriotism, selflessness, steadfastness and commitment to a national project of this magnitude.