Saraki Woos Kogi PDP, Promise To Resuscitate Ajaokuta Steel Company

By Musa Tanimu Nasidi. 

Ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary election, the Senate President and PDP presidential aspirant, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki have promised to resuscitate Ajaokuta Steel Company if given the party’s ticket and eventually win the presidential election in 2019. 

Saraki made the declaration at PDP Secretariat in Lokoja during a press briefing on Monday. He said it is time to elect leaders that have the ability, capacity and courage to lead Nigerians. The Senate President explained that countries world over choose their leaders based on ability to lead. 

“We need to do away with sentiment, religion or tribe, we must elect our leaders based on their ability to lead,” he said. Saraki promised to provide effective leadership and rule the country in a way that every Nigerian would benefit from his administration. 

He appealed to all the delegates from Kogi State to cast their votes for him during the forthcoming party presidential primary. The Senate President and PDP presidential hopeful was accompanied by the three senators from Kogi State; Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West), Senator Atai Aidoko (Kogi East) and Senator Ahmed Ogembe (Kogi Central).

Source: KogiReports

Reps Member to FG: Use Abacha Loot to Revive Ajaokuta Steel Company

A lawmaker in the House of Representatives, Mr Hassan Saleh (APC, Benue) has urged the Federal Government against plans to disburse $322 million Abacha loot sent by the Swiss government to vulnerable households in 19 states.

Saleh who spoke sequel to a motion raised by Mr Karimi Sunday (PDP, Kogi) advised the government to rather use the money to revive the Ajaokuta Steel company.

He said the plant will generate millions of jobs for Nigerians.

Speaking earlier, Mr Sunday  frowned at the alleged decision to disburse the money to vulnerable in 19 states of the federation, stressing that the 1999 constitution empowers the legislature to determine how public money should be utilized.

According to him, the Swiss government and the Executive arm cannot decide for Nigeria on how the funds should be used.

The debate continued as members like Mr. Nkem Abonta (PDP, Abia), Mr. Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta) separately noted that the use of such money to feed the poor goes contrary to the Parliament’s power of appropriation.

“The National Assembly should wake up and come up with a program that will decide how the Abacha loot be spent”, Mr. Ossai said.

Following further debate, the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara put up a voice vote on the matter and the ‘ayes’ had it.

The adhoc committee is expected to report its findings to the House within six weeks for further legislative action.

Imagine: FG Has No Money to Complete Ajaokuta Steel Company – Minister

Members of the House of Representatives and the Minister of State for Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Abubakar Bwari, disagreed on Monday over the fate of the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited.

This happened as an ad hoc committee of the House chaired by the Majority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, opened a public hearing on the troubled steel plant.

The House is against the Federal Government’s plan to give the plant to private investor as a concession and had a running battle with the former Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on the issue.

In March, the House speedily passed two bills in a bid to stop the concession, advising the government to instead complete the plant as a going public asset.

The two bills, sponsored by 301 lawmakers, were, ‘A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Ajaokuta Steel Company Completion Fund for the Speedy Completion of the Project; and for Related Matters’ and ‘A Bill for an Act to Amend the Public Enterprises (Privatisation and Commercialisation) Act, Cap. P38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Review the List of Enterprises to be Privatised; and for Related Matters’.

But, on Monday, Bwari appeared before the Gbajabiamila committee to defend the government’s decision to give out the plant as a concession.

He said that the government could not complete the plant because it could not afford the cost.

The minister stated, “With concession, the government will not put more money, but will appoint a reputable transaction adviser to move forward. Right now, the government does not have the funds. It is important that we hand it over to those who have the resources.

“The government is even borrowing to run services. That is to tell you that there is no money.”

Bwari added that it would cost the government far above the $500m being reported as the amount required to complete the plant and run it.

He explained that the reported 98 per cent completion frequently quoted had to do with the plant only and did not cover external and pending internal works to be done before production would start.

But, members disagreed with him, saying the problem of the steel firm was the lack of political will by successive governments to complete it.

Ebiraland Media.

Ajaokuta Steel: Natasha Akpoti Is Far From Playing Politics With Our Collective Wealth

Virtually there is no good cause one will embark on in the society without people with cynical beliefs reading bad intention to it. On different occasions, people have accused Barrister Natasha Hadiza Akpoti of playing politics when she embarked on philanthropic work; sponsoring 600 pupils she adopted, paying school fee of under graduates and giving support to young entrepreneurs. These same people orchestrated the campaign calling Natasha an opportunist for the the simple crime of fighting for Ajaokuta resuscitation.

As Nelson Mandela of the blessed memory said in one of his speeches after achieving the age-long quest for freedom, “I was called a terrorist yesterday, but when I came out of jail, many people embraced me, including my enemies…”

We are not unaware of the divergent opinions of people; the desperate ones who have made it a point of duty to disparage the genuine efforts of Natasha either as a result of hatred, inferiority complex or to win gullible minds for their inordinate ambitions.

Like the Madiba of Africa rightly averred, the media loathe and its like wouldn’t shift the attention from the genuine cause, every human being that ever deared to tread the path of liberation and setting his country to attain her true meaning has been treated in this manner, history is just repeating itself.

Despite all the blackmail and sponsoring of people to distract prominent activists like Kabir Suman, and Medha Patekar in India from delving into politics and be the ideal change they want, they were never disturbed because they knew altering a status quo that benefits the greedy few is never an easy task. Being an activist was never a barrier to them, they were never seasoned politicians, they ventured into politics because they viewed it as the only way to actualise their vision for the society and they were able to alter the age-long tradition.

This forced Professor Trilochan Sastry of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, to contends that, “a functioning democracy needs both people from all walks of life joining politics. Activists know their community’s needs and demands. If they are elected to office, their knowledge and background should inform their positions on issues.”

We wouldn’t forget in a hurry how Kevin de León, president pro tempore of the California State Senate who fought for years on behalf of the Latino community, advocating for the rights of immigrants, the working poor and the environmental quality of their neighborhoods was loathed by media and sponsored people when he attempted to delve into politics. Because he knew what he stood for, he was never deterred. Today, The California great activist has become fierce fighter for his communities in elected office, he is one of the key elected officials who has made California one of the most welcoming states for immigrants and was instrumental in passage of the bill allowing undocumented immigrants to apply for driver’s licenses. He is celebrated by his enemies today because he refused to be detracted by the naysayers who think it’s an abomination for activists to delve into politics and be the ideal change they want.

This will be our solace as we anxiously wait for Natasha’s declaration and step into the big shoe knowing that even some of the voiocless people she tries to shout for their voices to be heard will be sponsored to mar the vuvuzela she is using. This wouldn’t slow the pace neither would it derail her from the goal, the pledge mantra is to make no enemy and make people see reasons why societal building should be ahead of our desire, why the best amongst us should be given the opportunity to rule and why greediness, nepotism and favoritism should be shunned and build a country we can be proud of.

– Isah Bala

'Ajaokuta Steel Company Won't Work, Unless Our Angry Ancestor is Appeased'- Host Community

Communities which own the land on which Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASCO) is built say the firm cannot take off unless their angry ancestor, egbunu akoko”, is pacified.

The community leaders of Geregu and Ajaokuta, the host  communities in Kogi, expressed the view in interviews with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The Chairman, Geregu Community Association, Alhaji Idris Aliyu, attributed the non-completion of ASCO project to mystical forces arising from the neglect of the communities.

Aliyu said the ancestors were not happy over the level of neglect of the communities by the Federal Government and the operators of ASCO.

“It is not the communities that are preventing the work from being completed, it is the ancestors.

“There is a lady that had a dream two years ago and said she saw one of our ancestors, “egbunu akoko’’.

“Egbunu akoko told her that if the government wants ASCO to be completed, they should go and resettle his people in  Geregu and Ajaokuta .

“My advice is that, let them come back and fulfil most of the promises they made. They should fix our roads and repair the schools.

“Also, the Egbunu Akoko’s house they demolished should be rebuilt.

“Really, our ancestors are not happy over what is happening. The agreement we reached with ASCO when they acquired our lands since 1976 has not been implemented.

“All the promises they made they did not fulfil.

“As you were coming, you saw our road just about two kilometres from the steel plant to Geregu, you saw how rough it is and that is why you used motorbike to get to our palace.

“We have been neglected but we are praying that work should continue in the company, may be they will look into the promises they made to these two communities,” he said.

The community leaders also claimed that the government and administrators of ASCO reneged on the initial agreement of providing employment and development in the communities.

At the Palace of Etsu of Geregu, Mr Suleiman Idris, on behalf of Etsu Haruna Aminu, said the communities had been left to their fate after the takeover of their land.

He said Ajaokuta community had eight families and Geregu had five families who surrendered their land to the Federal Government for the building of the company.

The Etsu said that the government, upon taking over the land promised to compensate the people and provide them basic amenities but that had not happened.

“Since the construction of ASCO, we have been left behind, nothing has been done for the communities.

“You can see the palace of the Etsu compared to other palaces. It is in a deplorable state.

“No employment for our youths. Most of them are graduates and they are at home because they are not being given priority in terms of employment.

“Also, there are no infrastructure and social development provided by the company for the communities,” he said.

The monarch said part of the land from Ajaokuta was used for the construction of the industrial component of ASCO, while Geregu community provided land for the development of residences.

He said the development of residential houses and the industrial structures on the land had denied the people access to land for farming and other communal activities.

“When you check the environment, everywhere is occupied by private houses and no chance is given to us for our own communal use.

“The Federal Government promised to compensate us but nothing was done.

“Some years ago, the communities and the company went to court. At the end, the High Court in Lokoja said it did not have jurisdiction to hear the case and struck out the case.

“As you can see, there is no physical or social development provided for us by the company,” he said.

Onu of Ajaokuta, Alhaji Kassim Ibrahim, stressed the need for the Federal Government to give recognition to the communities by resettling them and providing them amenities as promised.

According to him, the communities have cooperated with the Federal Government by handing over their lands.

However, Mr Babajide Suru, the General Manager, Engineering Works and Services Department of the company,  described the position of the communities as superstitious.

Suru said such belief held by the people was no longer tenable in a civilised world.

Meanwhile, the Sole Administrator of the company, Mr Sumaila Abdul-Akaba, said the issue of compensation and resettlement of the people would be addressed when the firm became fully functional.

NAN found that the access road to Ajaokuta community is in a deplorable state and the community lacks a modern health facility resulting in the people travelling more than five kilometres to  Geregu for medical care.

The plant, conceived in 1976, was aimed at establishing a metallurgical process plant/engineering complex with other facilities.

It is on 24,000 hectares of land in Ajaokuta,  38km from Lokoja.

The company is meant to generate important upstream and downstream industrial and economic activities that are critical to the industrialisation of Nigeria.

The plant, tagged “Bedrock of Nigeria’s Industrialisation’’, is also designed to produce iron and liquid steel from mines at Itakpe, in Kogi, some 52km from Ajaokuta.

The project has achieved over 90 per cent completion.

NAN

'Promises are Cheap, Show Your Capacity,' Natasha Akpoti Chides Politicians Using Ajaokuta as Manifesto

Natasha Akpoti

Ajaokuta Steel Company resuscitation frontliner, Natasha Akpoti has advised politicians using the moribund state of the company as political campaigns to show their worth. 

 

Akpoti gave the advice in a statement posted on her facebook page on Wednesday. 

This is in the wake of her revelations on factors crippling revival efforts during a sectoral debate considered to be a proactive intervention by the House of Representatives.

She said she has been invited to an investigation scheduled to commence on Thursday 12th April, 2018.

  

"Upon the March 1st 2018 exposé made at the Fed. House of Reps sectoral debate on Ajaokuta Steel Company; an investigation committee was set up to look into the critical issues raised. Committee is headed by Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

"All those using Ajaokuta’s revival as campaign gimmicks should participate to show the good people their capacity. Promises are cheap," she said.

Ajaokuta Steel Company; The Tales of an Ailing Giant. - NAES in ABU Zaria.

A PRESENTATION BY YAHAYA MUHAMAD IZZUDDEEN(MrDeen) EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT(ATTAH),IGALA STUDENTS ASSOCIATION (ISA) AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA AT SYMPOSIUM ORGANISED BY EBIRA STUDENTS ON 31st  MARCH 2018.

Topic: Ajaokuta Steel Company; The Tales of an Ailing Giant.

The President of National Association of Kogi state Students, the President National Association of okun Students,all the executives present,all members of (ISA) present and my fellow kogites. Nyene, Eka-oro, MewOla-Odudu meaning good morning all.It is a great previlage to stand in front of you this morning to discuss a topic worthy of discussion, a topic that is worrying, a topic that can be  discussed in short period but will continue to linger  in our mind if solution is proper. 

We have a problem with Kogi economy because of the fact that policies are formulated  but the zeal to implement these policies are lacking in our systems, Kogi state government has succeeded in doing nothing and the Federal government is doing the same.

Ajaokuta steel company has the capacity to Carter for the country's needs but this Industry has been neglected due to political, social and economic factors which is negatively affecting kogi and the country Nigeria. The establishment of this company to it's completion in 1994 has 1.3 million per annul, if  there was a continuation will yield 2.6 million tons and further to 5.2 million. 

It has a capacity to power the Factory, power the state Kogi and nearby state Edo state with 110MW  as at then.It has the ability to increase the GDP of the country to 1.7 million. This company has the ability to offer 10,000 personnel and  2 million direct jobs as at then.My fellow Kogites the country needs to revive this company for the growth and development of our our nation. 

Reviving this company means you are increasing national income,higher standard of living, economic stability, Balance of payment, progress in order sectors and also lessened pressure on our fertile land.permit me to reinstate that the  way forward out of the current economic downtown is diversification through industrialization, Ajaokuta steel is the solution.It is now our duties to articulate the need for the federal government to revive Ajaokuta mill for the betterment of the country. Thanks for Reading.

Reporting: Shehu Teslimat, PRO for The president, Yahaya Muhammad Izzuddeen.

Broadcaster: Yakubu Binuyaminu Adeiza. Ebiraland Media Boss

Ajaokuta Chairmanship Aspirant Set To Tour Wards

Ahead of Kogi State council polls, Ajaokuta local government council chairmanship aspirant, Hon. Abdulrahman Dansabe has announced that his team will soon embark on a ward to ward tour of the local government.

Briefing newsmen in Lokoja on Friday, Dansabe said his team will visit the leadership of the ruling All progressives Congress (APC) in all the wards in Ajaokuta local government.

He noted that the tour will enable him consult widely with stakeholders of his party.

“As a grassroot politician, there is need to meet our party executives and the people at the grassroot to intimate them about the forthcoming council poll and the ongoing registration exercise.

“The tour will begin in February and will last for 30days. I will be physically present throughout the tour.

“I have been in touch with my people over the years but this tour will further help help make my vision clear to party leaders and members,” he said.