OrderPaperToday -In another round of revelations about Ajaokuta steel mill, the Minister of State for Mines and Steel, Abubakar Bwari, has declared that Nigeria lacks the technical capacity and competence to operate the complex.
This position he said, informed the decision of the Muhammadu Buhari administration not to invest a dime to revamp the moribund company.
The Minister said this while responding to questions from members of the House of Representatives Adhoc Committee on Ajaokuta Steel at a public hearing on Monday.
It would be recalled that the House passed a vote of no confidence on the former minister in the ministry, Kayode Fayemi, over his failure to attend a sectorial debate on the Ajaokuta steel mill.
At the hearing, the minister was informed by the Chairman of the Committee, Femi Gbajabiamila, that Ajaokuta Steel has already been removed from the list of firms in the Privatization Act, a move he declared was to halt any concessioning process till after the conclusion of the investigation by the House.
The minister in his response noted that the decision of the House was masde in moment of anger, describing it as “unfortunate.”
Mr. Bwari further said the federal government was assessing several proposals from different companies because judging from past experience of the government in managing other states assets, the country lacks the technical or the financial capacity to hold on to the complex.
He said: “Let us put sentiments aside, does the Nigerian government have the capacity to manage the steel complex? look at our refineries, fertilizer plants, national stadia.
“Even If we complete the project, we can’t operate it without completing the internal and external infrastructure, the question is how to bring in the raw material, both input and output, first we need to dredge the river Niger, inland port at Warri, inland port in Lokoja, and the deep sea port connected with railway.
“If we are to use land transportation, we are going to require about 750 trucks, even some experts claim that at full capacity, it would require about 2,000 trucks.”
The minister’s submission however drew the ire of the members of the committee, who countered that Nigeria has the requisite managerial skills to handle the complex and that successive governments have shown lack of political will to accomplish the dream set by former President Aminu Shagari.
Abdul Sani (APC, Adamawa) who claimed to be a “Buharist” challenged the President to visit Ajaokuta and act to in the national and long term economic interest of the nation.”
Speaking earlier, Gbajabiamila said the essence of the public hearing was not to vilify or point accusing finger at anyone, but to seek for a way forward on the steel company.
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