
…As NASS asks Ministry to return N2bn to agencies
The Minister of Steel Development, Mr Shuaibu Audu, on Wednesday, assured Nigerians that the technical audit on the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited would start in February.
According to Audu, the technical audit would pave the way for the rehabilitation, completion and operation of the steel plant and the National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO) in Kogi State, Nigeria.
The Minister gave this assurance when he appeared at the National Assembly Joint Committee on Steel Development to defend his Ministry’s 2024 budget expenditure and the 2025 Appropriation.
The Federal Government signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the original builders of the Ajaokuta Steel Plant Messrs, Tyazhpromexport (TPE) and members of their consortium Messrs Novostal M and Proforce Manufacturing Limited to carry out the technical audit since September last year.
A member of the joint panel, who is the senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District, where the project is situated, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, asked the Minister to give a definite date for the commencement of the technical audit.
Akpoti-Uduaghan said, “Hon Minister Can I ask a question, please? When was the MOU entered into? Which month? Can you tell us the month that the MOU on Ajaokuta was entered? “
The Minister responded by telling the panel that the document was signed in September last year.
Akpoti-Uduaghan then wondered why the Ministry hasn’t done anything four months after the MOU was duly signed.
Replying the Minister said, “I had a conversation with the Permanent Secretary this morning Wednesday) on the commencement date.”
He then directed the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Chris Osa-Isokpunwu to address the panel on the commencement of the technical audit.
Osa-Isokpunwu said, “Immediately after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, the Ministry commenced the procurement process for the technical and financial audit.
Not satisfied with the Permanent Secretary’s submission, Akpoti-Uduaghan interjected and demanded a definite date of commencement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan asked him when the BPP would send the ‘no objection’ to the Ministry and the Permanent Secretary said only the Director General of the BPE, Ayodeji Ariyo Gbeleyi, could answer the question.
Still not satisfied with the answer to her question, Akpoti-Uduaghan said, “How long have you been expecting that no objection from BPP?”
Osa-Isokpunwu said, “I’m not familiar with the processes of the Bureau of Public Procurement. We submitted our request for ‘no objection’ about two months ago. So Chairman, I don’t know if I can help you.”
The submission of the Permanent Secretary infuriated members of the joint committee and accused him of being lackadaisical with his approach to the whole issue. The Minister quickly came to the rescue of the Permanent Secretary by accepting that the Ministry has been too slow on the matter.
Audu said, “Mr. Chairman and distinguished members, I think the feedback from the joint committee is loud and clear. The speed at which we are going through the process of getting a ‘no objection’ from BPP is too slow.
“I think that is the message that I’m hearing from the committee members. The feedback has been heard very loud and clear. I can assure you that I’ll continue to put the permanent secretary under a lot of pressure for us to get out the ‘no objection’.
Meanwhile the Co-chairman of the joint panel, Hon. Zainab Gimba, said it was wrong of the Ministry to hold on to the funds of the agencies under it.
She subsequently directed the Minister to return the N2bn it was holding on behalf of the agencies under it, to them to avoid misappropriation.