Have you read Natasha’s rattling, robust and detailing manifesto? I have too, repeatedly. Remember I told us recently that we will be highlighting the variables in her manifesto that convinced me to support her, ahead of everyone else contesting the Senatorial position. Here we go. Many of us have erroneously accused her of hiding behind the agitation for Ajaokuta to seek political position. So, I thought it wise to begin our evaluation from there.
Before she threw her hat in the ring to contest the Senatorial position, I have always admired her tenacious efforts at making a case for the revival of the moribund steel company. It takes a rare courage to give up potential goodies to expose the backend activities impeding the kick-off and running of the project. She practically and frantically seized every opportunity to articulate cogent reasons why life should be injected into the moribund steel complex, even when the Federal government had repeatedly said they won’t invest more fund into the project.
However, some people acting the body language of some vested interest had recently cautioned politicians in general and Natasha in particular, to refrain from using Ajaokuta as campaign tool for elective positions in 2019. Obviously, they might have mistaken her advocacy for a show off and her insistence on the original builders who had almost completed the plant to take over, a decoy. According to them, the capacity to revive Ajaokuta is of the executive, hence intending legislators shouldn’t leverage on the sentiment the project carries to lure support. But can anything meaningful be done without the support of the National Assembly? I leave that to us to ponder on.
Preceding politicians, including the President, Muhammadu Buhari have made tons of appetizing promises to revive Ajaokuta, yet failed. Hence the caveat from the people, I understand this. I feel their concerns too. But we need to begin the task of asking serious questions as we journey into 2019. Rather than discourage them, let’s ask those using Ajaokuta as campaign tool to itemize how they intend to contribute to the revival of Ajaokuta.
Other politicians who sing the song of Ajaokuta’s revival might have limited understanding of the issues surrounding the complex (as indicated in their inability to articulate the scope of their representation), but not Natasha. Having gone through the Natasha Akpoti’s manifesto and understand it’s richness, below are ways she intends contributing her quota to the revitalization of Ajaokuta Steel Complex and such other steels across the country.
1. Work with the professional stakeholders and Executive and Judiciary arms of Government to write and pass a Nigerian Steel Law.
2. Consider the transfer of Mines from the Exclusive Legislative list to the Concurrent list.
3. The promotion of transparency and accountability has been a long-standing concern in the Mines and Steel sector.
4. Reestablishment of a Nigerian Steel Development Authority as existed in the 70s purposefully to oversee the construction, maintenance and operation of Steel plants and Mines in Nigeria.
5. Pass laws that would protect Host Community interest in the businesses within the KCD.
A new law is needed to control activities in the Steel sector and Natasha has promised to work with critical stakeholder within our political space to write and pass a Nigeria Steel Law which will among other things, protect the steel industry from administrative rascality and economic mishap. Host communities should have certain rights and privileges over the resources in their lands and therefore removing mines from the Exclusive legislative list (Where authority to manage is vested in the central government alone) to the concurrent list (where authority is shared by both the federal and state governments) will give the host communities such privileges, and thus protecting their interest.
It’s instructive to note that Natasha has neither promised an eldorado nor a castle in the air, but ensuring the realization of the above listed milestones are steps toward reviving Ajaokuta Steel complex.
While hoping that the Federal government will muster the willpower to get Ajaokuta working, tightening the loose ends from the legislative arm isn’t an effort in futility and Natasha is capable of spearheading that transformation. We need her to leverage on her influence and the knowledge of the workings in the Mine sector to push for the revival of Ajaokuta Steel complex.
Therefore, I’m calling on everyone desirous of real change in our polity to stand tall in supporting the candidature of Natasha Akpoti.
NB: If you still feel a legislator has no business in the revival of Ajaokuta Steel complex or that the areas Natasha is planning to contribute her quota isn’t feasible, please feel free to express your reservation.
NBB: This should be done in the best form of mutual conversation.
Thank you.
– Alabi John Ozovehe.
