Group Begs NASS, Gov Bello To Stop Ajaokuta Steel Concession

A group under the aegis of Ajaokuta Steel Township Youth Vanguard for Development has called on Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello, the National Assembly and the president – elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to halt the last-minute rush by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to concession Ajaokuta Steel Plant and Itakpe National Iron Mining Company.

The coordinator of the group, Comrade Ismaila Nasiru, made the demand at a press conference held in Lokoja, yesterday.

Nasiru lamented that at the twilight of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development had advertised the concessioning of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and National Iron Mining  Itakpe both in Kogi State.

The youth leader who expressed concern over the late hour decision of the ministry, warned against a repeat of the SOLGAS & OIL disasters where litigation almost ended all effort to complete and operationalize the steel company.

He stated that “Just this 21st April, the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development put up an international and local advertisement on the concessioning of Ajaokuta Steel.

“The advert gave only 20 days threshold for local and international interested companies to respond with detailed offers (not just expression of interest).

“The first major issue here is that the 20 days threshold given for response is not only grossly inadequate for any serious pre-bidding preparations and bill drafting by contenders for a gigantic company like Ajaokuta, but it is clearly at variance and in breach of infrastructure concession regulatory commission (ICRC) that specifies six weeks for tender advert and responses.

“The 20 days response will deny bidders the time to access and factor critical information and data in their proposals, such as information: Info of technical status of Itakpe and what is the availability, cost and logistics needs on other necessary raw materials such as dolomite, local coal, lime stone, clay etc. balance of other rail networks to link with those other minerals and a deep sea port to shore in cocable – coal imports.

“Within 20 days bidders have no time to conduct and inform themselves into even the barest technical audit of the steel plant. Bidders within 20 days are compelled to blindly bid, not factoring environmental impact Assessment nor the existing staff level and quality in the plant.

“Within 20 days blindfolded from all of the critical information/ideas listed above bidders cannot realistically bid for the steel plant nor will their bids reflect in any meaningful way, the realities of a steel plant that cost the nation over $4billion.