By Zacchaeus Ozovehe.
The trio of Alhaji Yakubu Oseni (Kogi Central), Alhaji Jibrin Isa (Kogi East) and Senator Smart Adeyemi (Kogi West), the senatorial candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi state have insisted that revival of Ajaokuta Steel Complex is not what an individual can singlehandedly actualise.
The candidates made this known recently while on an on-the-spot assessment of the steel plant which is said to have been built to 92% completion.
Leader of the team, Senator Smart Adeyemi said in cognisance of the magnitude of conspiracy theories against the completion of the steel, collaboration with relevant stakeholders and unity of purpose among Kogi State members of the National Assembly would present a formidable force to agitate for its resuscitation.
Senator Adeyemi who revealed in series of video clips his struggle to revamp the steel complex while in the Senate, appreciated the sincere steps being taken so far by Governor Yahaya Bello and the Federal Government, just as he expressed optimism that the struggle would become intense when the trio are elected to the National Assembly.
Alhaji Yakubu Oseni on the other hand enjoined the people of Kogi State to be wary of any politician who lay sole capacity to the revival of steel when given the mandate.
“Having had the first hand information about the workings, capacity and potentials of the steel plant from the Sole Administrator, we will be making presentation about it from an informed standpoint when we get to the senate. We cannot continue to wallow in wanton unemployment and monolithic economy while our gold mine rots away”, he asserted.
Responding, the elated Sole Administrator, Engr. Sumaila Abdul-Akaba said contrary to popular misinformation that the steel plant is obsolete, the technical audit he conducted this year showed that it is 95% mechanically sound.
He noted that if the renewed efforts of the Federal Government to revive Ajaokuta Steel Complex is sustained, issue of unemployment would soon be over as the plant which covers about 24,000 hectares needs at least 10,000 engineers for immediate performance.
