A civil society organisation, the Social Integrity Network (SINET), has raised the alarm over the attempt by the federal government, through the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, to concession and trade-off the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and Itakpe Iron Ore Company in the final days of the present administration.
SINET has, therefore, called on Senate president Ahmad Lawan, the anti-graft agencies and the general public to probe into the hurried concessioning process with a view to halting the process.
The group appealed to Lawan to quickly set up a committee of enquiry and ensure that the process is halted, reversed and handed over to the incoming administration for proper scrutiny in national interest.
SINET national coordinator, Ibrahim Issah, pointed out that concessioning of national heritages such as National Iron Ore Company Limited, Itakpe, and Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited should have considerable time frame and be subjected to thorough legislative processes and contributions from major stakeholders such as the Manufacturers of Association of Nigeria (MAN).
The CSO, which held an emergency meeting in Jos, the Plateau State capital yesterday, in reaction to some newspaper advertisements entitled: Request For Qualification For The Concession Of The Itakpe National Iron Ore Minning Company Solicited PPP Process As Well As Request For Qualification For The Concession Of The Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited Solicited PPP Process, dated Friday 21st April 2023, said the hurried nature of the process should be a concern to well-meaning Nigerians.
The publication further stressed that the deadline for the submission of applications by interested parties is Friday 12th May, 2023 which only provides only four weeks for the completion of process and about two weeks to the expiration of the current administration.
The group described the process as questionable and an attempt to rip off Nigerians in favour of some capitalists who are not acting in national interest, even as it expressed concern over the haste to conclude the deal when the present government has only 34 to hand over to an incoming administration.
According to SINET, adequate time is required for genuine participation for equity, fairness and justice to Nigerians.
“There is need for the leadership of the National Assembly, Civil Society Organisations, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) Bureau of Public Enterprises, (BPE), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to quickly intervene and order immediate reversal of the process in the interest of over 200 million Nigerians,” the group said.
It contended that the incident will set the economy of Nigeria backward and further create some unforeseen consequential repercussions for the incoming administration.
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