Coalition drums up support for revival of Ajaokuta steel 

A Civil Society Coalition for the Revival of Ajaokuta Steel Company, a group of over 100 CSOs across the country has thrown its weight on the proposal for a special fund to revive Ajaokuta steel plant.

Speaking at a public hearing organized by the the House of Representatives Committee on Steel Development on a bill for a special fund for the Revival of Ajaokuta, the National Coordinator of the group, Mohammed Bougei Attah, said the coalition is collaborating  with a group of over 100 trained Russian experts known as SOYUZNIK Nigeria.

In his submission, Attah s however said, the civil society group has  made some observations which if not corrected may affect the implementation of the bill if passed into law. 

The Bill which was presented which was  sponsored  Hon. Sanni Egidi, representing Ajaokuta Constituency in his address, said it is a crucial bill aimed at establishing a Special Purpose Trust Fund for the completion of the Ajaokuta Steel Industry, the development of key infrastructure, and the advancement of our mining sector.

Speaking further, Hon. Egidi said the appointments to the Board of Trustees is vested on the Presidency while that of the implementation committee is vested on the Board, subject to Presidential confirmation. 

He said qualifications, relevant experiences, character and proven integrity of the appointees are spelt out and emphasized in the bill. 

“Anything less will not bring out the steel plant from her comatose state,” he said.