The leadership of Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN) has vowed to reject concession of Ajaokuta Steel without consideration of workers welfare.
The national president, Comrade Kolawole Mustapha, who made this known in an interactive session with journalists reiterated the concern of the union over the move.
He stressed that, “ISSSAN wished to bring to the attention of the general public over the planned concessioning of the Ajaokuta Steel Company and National Iron Ore Mining Company both in Kogi State, without taking the issues concerning the workers into consideration.
Kolawole commended the effort of President Muhammadu Buhari and his team over attempt to inject some life into the hitherto moribund Steel industry in the country by offsetting the huge debt owed the Indian Company – Global Infrastructure Nigeria limited, while at the same time undertaking to rehabilitate the Itakpe-warri rail line and commercialize its use.
The general secretary, Comrade John Odigie, expressed the worry of ISSSAN over the move by this out-going government, to embark on the concessioning process that have failed severally before now, without the inclusion of the concerns of employees in the steel industry and their representatives in the union, and other major stakeholders.
According to Odigie, “We had thought that the government through the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development would engage a competent investor to manage the operation of Ajaokuta Steel Company and National Iron Ore Mining company Itakpe through private/public partnership arrangement, with the inclusions of all stakeholders in the processes most importantly steel sector employees and their Union representatives whom this action will affect.
“ISSSAN’s major concern, is the welfare of workers’/steel sector employees and how the outcome of the concessioning process will affect their welfare especially in this instance where there is no workers voice in the process. ISSSAN therefore finds it absolutely unacceptable its non-inclusion in the process as this puts the workers in the dark as to the protection of their livelihood in the build up to concluding the process.”
