The struggle for the revival of the abandoned Ajaokuta is still on, and one begins to wonder if we are comfortable with the state it is in or if we are genuinely interested in the revival of the complex. There was a motion on the floor of the Senate a few months ago to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate corruption within the complex and to uncover the factors that stalled the previous efforts to revive the complex. You expected the host community to be had but the motion surprisingly received criticism from some individuals from the community.
The adhoc was eventually set up, and the hearing is ongoing. Typical of any investigative hearing, issues will be raised by the members of the panel for clarification from the invited person to the hearing. Some of the questions may sound indicting or even inaccurate, but the officer questioned is expected to give clarification and set the record straight. The issues discussed while the investigation is ongoing are usually not for public consumption till all the grey areas are resolved.
The committee is yet to conclude its work, but a press release from anxious persons is already flying around the internet. Why a press release on a question that the person asked had the opportunity to address the questioner? The press release shows an expression of fear of information that may lead to staff audits. You surely have nothing to fear if the staff at the company are always on the ground to work for their money even though there is no production like the NNPC refineries, where workers earn huge salaries with the refining of a drop of crude oil.
Did Senator Natasha say anything wrong? Her statement on personnel cost, as shown in the 2024 budget, was just a hypothetical statement, and the 10 number workforce mentioned was just figurative language to show that just a few workers are actually seen at the complex during working hours.
Amazingly, the workers’ union can garner energy, resources, and courage to dwell on a hypothetical question that the person asked could have just clarified when they have more important issues that directly affect the welfare of workers that you have preoccupied them with. Examples are:
- The condition of service of workers,
- The approved CONRAISS salary structure that’s yet to be implemented since 10th July 2010,
- The bushy and unhygienic environment where workers work and live etc.
The ₦4.2 billion personnel cost for 1,627 workers puts the average salary of the workers to be ₦215,000 per month. Only Workers in Assistant Directorate cadr and above can earn this amount with the present Salary structure. What are they saying, that junior staff are also collecting up to ₦215,000 per month? Did the Union leaders forget the pyramid structure of workforce? The Union should better use their heads than doing the bidding of a few greedy individuals.
Yes, workers in companies in the category of Ajaokuta Steel will earn much more. Ajasteel is a place where everyone will want to work if it is active and in production. The quoted 1,627 workers is surely a ridiculous number for a complex like Ajaokuta Steel if active. Globally, companies in this category are taking thousands of workers, and not just the mere 1,627 workers they have been boasting of. It is unacceptable to be receiving ₦4.2 billion as personnel cost with only ₦57 million for capital projects on an annual budget for a mega project like Ajaokuta Steel.
The condition of living of Steel workers is supposed to be compared with oil workers globally. Check the working conditions of NNPC, NDDC, CBN, and FIRS Workers. These are supposed to be the priority of the workers union and not these issues of a hypothetical figure of workers seen during working hours.
Management team with purposefulness can drive an organization to prosperity. There are several dead places revived through a dedicated and purposeful management team. The drive for the constitution of a proper management team for Ajaokuta Steel is to drive the company efficiently for the benefit of all and not for a few individuals with selfish interests. The Unions of workers elsewhere are usually interested in the proper management of their organization. These Workers’ Union is expected to be interested in the setting up of a proper management system for the Steel Company and also key into the drive, except someone is using the leaders of the Union.
The revival of Ajasteel, as it’s popularly called, is in the interest of the country, the host state, the host community, and the workers. Therefore, all the stakeholders should get on the moving Revival Train. Let’s keep personal interests aside and work towards unraveling the monsters taking advantage of the state of Ajaokuta Steel Company to exploit the system for these years. We need to know what is making it non-functional to know what we need to do to make the Steel Company work. It is an investment that we cannot afford to allow to rot away. May we not use our hands to destroy our home and a house built for us.
– Dr. Adams Ozovehe Zubair
