KUNLE OLUTAYO
The Sole Administrator, Ajaokuta Steel Company, Sumaila Abdul- Akaba, has revealed that stated amount spent on personnel, security and maintenance of equipment by the administration of the steel complex is justifiable.
Akaba made this revelation while presenting the performance of 2022 and defence of 2023 budget of the company before the Committee on Mines and Steel at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
He also said before engagement of the security personnel, equipment worth billions of Naira were stolen from the facility.
According to him, the amount utilised for the payment of some staff who are not in the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS), was meaningful owing to the services they offer.
“When you look at the personnel cost, most of the question people ask is why are you keeping these personnel; Ajaokuta investment is within $6 billion to $8 billion and if you look at the amount we are spending to keep the plants, I don’t think it’s too much.
“Aside that, one of the basic thing we should go to, is the security issues. We have spent a lot of money also on security. As at today, we have over two hundred and twenty security guards that are officially not on the payroll of IPPIS.”
The Sole Administrator also said the company engaged the Federal Fire Service and the Military, Department of State Services, (DSS) to ensure the company’s welfare.
He called for the removal of bureaucracies, for the company to commence production immediately.
“If Ajaokuta project is completed, fund won’t be a problem but one of the problem is bureaucracy.”
He maintained that Nigeria is not doing enough to utilise the Ajaokuta Steel and change fortunes of the country.
Earlier, Chairman of the Committee, Ibrahim Ali, while noting the place of Steel Industry in development of the industry, maintained that Nigeria must be proactive to revive Mines and Steel Industry.
Some members of the committee raised key questions on how long Nigeria will continue to play around the industrialisation.
They also asked about the rationale behind the company taking care of welfare of the Federal Fire Service and other individuals not captured in the IPPIS with some getting up to N500,000 for doing nothing.
“Some people are even earning more than us, you have people collecting N500,000 for doing nothing in Ajaokuta, you have over two hundred and twenty security staff who are not on IPPIS, where are you getting this money, we want to know.”
Also, during the presentation by the Executive Director of the National Metallurgical Development Centre, Jos; Professor Linus Asuquo said the sum of N718. 3 million earmarked for seven projects for execution.
Professor Asuquo solicited more fund to address some shortfalls, out sourcing of some services as well as carrying out its key objective of research and development.
In a related development, the Sole Administrator of the National Iron Ore Mining Company Limited Itakpe, Augustus Nkechika decried low allocation to the company, pleading for increment.
