President Goodluck Jonathan says legal issues are hindering his desire to see the take-off of the Ajaokuta Steel Company.
Jonathan said this yesterday at Lokoja Confluence Stadium, Kogi State, at his re-election campaign rally.
He noted that his administration was not playing politics with the issue of the Ajaokuta Steel Company, saying Minister of Justice Mohammed Bello Adoke had been handling those legal issues.
“The Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Complex is dear to us. This is a government that promises and fulfils its promises.
During my inaugural speech in 2011, we made promises in that speech and we’ve addressed all. We’re addressing the issue or the Iron and Steel Company.
“We’re not playing politics with it. The Attorney-General has been handling the legal issues. We’ve been slowed down because of legal issues. The Attorney-General has travelled to London more than 20 times and now we have got to the end, we’ll move ahead,” he said.
Jonathan then directed the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Musa Sada, to address the crowd on the current state of the company.
The minister disclosed that having resolved the legal issues, the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Company is now open for foreign investors.
Sada also hinted that five foreign investors had already indicated interests in the company.
The president continued his campaign speech by telling the crowd that if re-elected, he would complete all the ongoing federal roads.
He charged the youth to do a background check on all the 14 presidential candidates in other to know them better.
President Goodluck Jonathan said that Nigeria must be self-sufficient in the automobile sector.
Meanwhile, in his Facebook post yesterday, President Jonathan said the progress already achieved in the sector must be supported and applauded by all Nigerians.
“By God’s grace, our automobile industry will continue to improve till we are self-sufficient in that sector,” the president said.
He added: “When in 2012 this administration initiated a new National Automobile Policy, we set a target to make Nigeria a regional hub for the automobile industry in West Africa.
“In 2014, our plans bore fruit as global car manufacturers, Nissan, Hyundai and Kia began partially manufacturing and wholly assembling cars in Nigeria for sale in Nigeria and in neighbouring nations.
“A local manufacturer, Innoson, also began manufacturing cars in Nigeria and the government is today patronising that brand at the Presidency and for Ministries, Departments and Agencies,” he said.
