Reps Grill Minister of Steel Development on Ajaokuta Steel Concessioning.
*A final decision has not been taken on the facility-Minister.
Chigozie Amadi
The House of Representatives Committee on Steel Development has grilled the Minister of Steel Development Mr Dele Alake on the plans by the Federal Government to concession the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Complex to Global Steel of Russia and any other foreign concern.
Chairman of the House Committee on Steel Development Hon Dr Zainab Gimba and other members of the Committee had grilled the Minister and other top officials of the ministry on the planned concessioning of the Steel Complex at the National Assembly on Thursday.
The Committee chairman in an opening remarks at the investigative hearing stated that there are a lot of administrative lapses and reported misappropriation of funds on the part of the Ministry in overseeing the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Complex.
The lawmaker also raised issues with the composition of the National Steel Council saying that the House Committee had been inundated with reports about the activities of the council
On the planned concessioning of the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Complex, she stayed that the House Committee is worried that there are reports that some Russians and other foreigners are bidding for the concessioning of the facility.
She said that the issue of concessioning of the Iron and Steel Complex and other issues in the running of the national asset is what the House Committee wants the Minister and his officials to address.
In his presentation, the Minister of Steel Development Mr Dele Alake stated that there is an on-going discussion on the concessioning of the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Complex adding that the discussion with the various parties is still at an early stage.
He further stated that the the Ministry of Steel Development is looking at the possibility of concessioning of the facility adding to hat a final decision had not be taken on it.
He also stated that the national asset was built in 1979 and work was stopped on the facility in 1983 even as he said that successive federal administrations have been making frantic efforts to fix the facility
He also said that the president’s approval is required before the facility can be concessioned to any local or foreign concern adding that there are some maintenance and legal issues that needed to be resolved before the full concessioning can be effectively done.
