N4.2bn For Moribund Ajaokuta Steel Workers Unacceptable, Says Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

The Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Tuesday, described as unacceptable the N4.2 billion appropriated in the 2024 budget as personnel cost for the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited.

She expressed her displeasure during the investigative hearing on alleged incidents of corruption and inefficiency in Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and the National Iron Ore Mining Company from 2002 to date, by an ad hoc committee of the Senate.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is the Deputy Chairman of the Committee, asked the Sole Administrator of the Steel Company, Summaila Abdul Akaba, to give details of workers collecting salaries from  the N4.2 billion  appropriated for personnel cost in the 2024 budget.

She said being an indigene of the area, she was desirous to get the Steel company revamped and working.

The Senator said she made unscheduled visits to the company and hardly found 10 people working there.

She noted that despite such a humongous amount of money being spent as personnel cost by the Steel Company on yearly basis, no steel has been manufactured and no mill rolled.

She said, “The Sole Administrator of Ajaokuta Steel Company, I have a good question for you being an indigene from the area, very worried about the state of the company and passionate for its revival.

“The sum of N4.2 billion was appropriated for personnel cost in 2024, but from several visitations I made to the complex, hardly were 10 people sighted to be around or doing anything.

“So, who are the workers collecting monthly salaries from the appropriated N4.2billion?

“Statistically, if N300,000 is paid monthly to 14,000 people per month for a year, you get N4.2 billion or N500, 000 to 8,400 workers per month in a year.

“Where are the 14, 000 or 8,400 workers in Ajaokuta, the appropriated N4.2 billion is being spent on?” she asked.

The Minority Whip of the Senate who is also a member of the committee, Senator Osita Ngwu (PDP Enugu West), did not allow the sole administrator of the complex to respond to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s question.

Ngwu said, “Please don’t let us indict ourselves because the said appropriation was approved by the National Assembly.”

In his closing remarks at the investigative hearing, the Chairman of the ad hoc Committee, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC Ondo Central), said presentations and submissions made by the various stakeholders would be thoroughly looked into by the Committee for a solution to the report on Ajaokuta Steel Company to the Senate.

Key stakeholders at the investigative hearing were, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, a Director from the Central Bank of Nigeria, a Director from Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE, Nigerian Society of Engineers , Steel and Engineering Union Workers of Nigeria, among others.

Sunday Aborisade

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