A team of 23 Russian engineers have been in the country touring the Ajaokuta Steel plant to assess what needs to be done to wake the sleeping giant for optimal operation to industrialise the Nigerian economy. The Russians are at the plant on the heels of what the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuiabu Audu, had said earlier that Russian engineers were coming to the complex to carry out a technical audit of the plant. Meanwhile, a top official working at the complex confirmed the presence and inspection of the plant by the Russian engineers. He said “As we speak, we have the Russians with us, the original builders of Ajaokuta Steel complex. We have about 23 of them here in Ajaokuta, and they have been here since last Sunday.” He further said that, “The team are here to do the technical audit, and they have been moving around within the company, and they are working day and night, and it is all about the revitalization project according to what the Minister of Steel Development has said, and the Sole Administrator of Ajaokuta Steel Complex, Engr Abdul-Akaba Sumaila, has been taken them round, shop to shop.”According to him, what the Russians are there for at the ASCL is not different from what the Minister had informed Nigerians about the efforts of the Tinubu-led administration to ensure the complex starts operations, which has been the long expectation of Nigerians including investors.
“It is not different from what the Minister is saying. We the workers are very happy because this is the first time we are witnessing this in our lifetime, and we have been hearing it and we are happy that they are here.“We are also praying that it materialises in our own time so that we can reap from the goodness of it, and it is not different from what the Minister has said, and the objectives of the Minister and that of the Sole Administrator, and workers are happy that it is coming to fruition. “We are assuring the whole world that we are cooperating and working to ensure that it comes to reality so that we can.”
Meanwhile, he called for support from Nigerians to actualization what the Russian engineers have come for at the complex, “We want Nigerians to support us, especially the media to project what is going on in the company, and we commend the Sole Administrator, therefore, we pledge our support as workers, and also want to see this visit come to fruition.” The ECOWAS Federation Chambers of Mines, EFCM, hailed the inspection and assessment of the Ajaokuta Steel Complex by the Russians. The Chairman, EFCM, and former National President, Miners Association of Nigeria, MAN, Sani Shehu, said, “we support this move because it is a good development that gives the country hope, and there is no well-meaning Nigerian that would not be happy about it, and we also call on the media to positively project it and make it known to the people at the grassroots so they can understand and support the project.” However, he said, “I appeal to the Government to have the political courage and will to ensure the complex starts working optimally, and I think we have every reason to celebrate.
“This project I learnt would employ over 5 million Nigerians, therefore Nigerians should support the project.” The Ajaokuta integrated steel complex was conceived and steadily developed with the vision of erecting a Metallurgical Process Plant cum Engineering Complex with other auxiliaries and facilities. The complex is meant to be used to generate important upstream and downstream industrial and economic activities that are critical to the diversification of our economy into an industrial one. Ajaokuta Steel Plant is therefore aptly tagged as the Bedrock of Nigeria’s industrialisation.
