From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that the National Iron and Ore Company, NIOMCO, would come alive after 40 years.
The Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Audu, gave this assurance ,on Friday while on tour at the multi-million Dollar iron and complex in Itakpe, Kogi State.
Audu lamented that this multi-million Dollar project which is lying waste is a priority to the Tinubu-led administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and vowed to make it work under his tenure.
He said: “The President by making me a pioneer Minister of Ministry of Steel Development certain things have to be done to initiate steel production in Nigeria; trying to revive the Ajaokuta Steel Company and the Itakpe Iron and Ore Mining Company.
“These are multi-billion Dollar facilities and multi-billion Dollar steel plants we have in Kogi State for the benefit of Nigerians.”
Meanwhile, the Minister recalled that the President promised rolling out thousands of CNG buses that would be powered by gas and distributed to Nigerian workers in both private and public sectors.
He said in the Ministry’s 2024 budget, a recommendation for production of the gas cylinders will be made in order for them to be produced in Ajaokuta.
“What I have seen in Ajaokuta particularly as well in the iron ore company, components of that gas cylinders for the CNG plant can be made here in Itakpe.
Itakpe has a significant role to play in the renewed hope agenda of Mr President.
“We are going to write a budget and the budget that will be hopefully approved by the National Assembly and ultimately signed by Mr President would have a provision to upgrade some of the plants in Itakpe to enable produce some of the some of the gas cylinders’ components for the CNG buses”, he added.
Earlier in his remarks the Sole Administrator of NIOMCO, Augustus Nkechika stated that Ajaokuta can not be relevant in the steel market without the National Iron Ore Mining Company.
Nkechika added that infrastructure and technology of the company must be up to date for the Ajaokuta plant resuscitated.
He said “The National Iron Ore Mining Company, Itakpe has been a cornerstone of our steel production,and it is imperative that we ensure its infrastructure and technology are up to date. A technical audit will help us identify areas for the rehabilitation, improvement, optimize processes,and ensure that we remain competitive in the global steel market.