The Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) has called on the Federal Government to make funds available for the completion of the Ajaokuta Steel Company.
Chairman of the union, Mallam Ali Atabor, made the call at the weekend in Ajaokuta when he led executive members of the NUJ to the site.
Mallam Atabor also called for the necessary political will on the part of the Federal Government to realize the dream of the Ajaokuta steel project.
According to him, the completion and effective operation of the company has multiplier effects in terms of employment generation, foreign earnings and savings and the industrialization of the country.
In his speech, the Sole Administrator of the company, Engr. Isah Joseph Onobere, said arrangements have reached advance stage to reactivate and put to commercial use some of the completed mills and workshops of the steel plant.
He said the company is already collaborating with some investors for the rehabilitation of two out of the four mills for the purpose of billet conversion, saying with the recent signing of MOU with Messrs Reprom Nigeria Limited, activities are on to meet the set targets aimed at injecting life into some of the completed units.
He added that another MOU has been signed with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) for training and manpower development by the Metallurgical Training Center (MTC) of the company, which he said is in line with the Federal Government’s intention to train 1000 people in each state of the federation.
“We wish to commend your success in polio eradication in the past two years. This commendation is more essential when you consider the security challenges facing the state,’’ Pate said.
He urged other state governors to emulate Shettima by striving hard to eradicate polio from Nigeria.
(NAN)
