Ajaokuta Steel: FG expresses satisfaction with level of work
THE Federal Government has expressed satisfaction with the level of work done at the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited.
This was stated by the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc Musa Mohammed Sada, during a visit by the Managing Director of Reprom Company Nigeria Limited, Mr. Attah Achimugu, who led his management team and foreign technical partners.
Mohammed said, “with appreciable level which the work has reached, operation of some section of the plant will commence soon”.
Reprom Company Nigeria Limited had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited in March 2013 for billet conversion project to operate the thermal power plant and light section mill at the steel company.
The minister said: “Federal Government has expressed appreciation over progress made to operationalise the thermal power plant and light section mill of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited.”
He noted that it was a thing of joy to hear from the investor, that work had reached advanced stage to kick start the thermal power plant and light section mill.
The minister added that Ajaokuta Steel Company had prospects for the industrialisation of Nigeria and that every well meaning Nigerian was looking forward to the realization of that vision.
He observed that Reprom Company Nigeria Limited and its foreign technical partners were worthy partners to achieve the objective of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited since they understood the technology of the integrated steel plant.
The minister advised the company to fast-track implementation and completion of the Memorandum of Understanding on the steel plant in good time.
Sada noted that since every Nigerian was passionate about Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited towards the industrial development of Nigeria, Reprom Nigeria Company Limited should keep Nigerians abreast of what it was doing at the integrated steel plant from time to time.
The minister thanked the investors for their interest in the project and reiterated that they should keep the spirit of the agreement alive to produce steel at Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited very soon.
Earlier in his remarks, Managing Director of Reprom Company Nigeria Limited, Mr. AttahAchimugu, said that the essence of their visit was to brief the minister on the progress of the billet conversion programme for operationalising the Thermal Power Plant and the Light Section Mill of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited .
Achimugu disclosed that after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on conversion of billets to operationalise the Thermal Power Plant and Light Section Mill of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited they sought for the technical support of the people who initially designed the constituent plants and assembled them from the three major countries of Ukraine, Bellarus and the Russian Federation who have keyed into the project.
He disclosed that 55 technical experts would arrive Nigeria from Bellarus, Ukraine, and Russian Federation next week to commence repair works on some of the plants at Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited, with a view to startingoperations at the Thermal Power Plant and the Light Section Mill by sourcing for billets.
Mr. Achimugu assured that they would do their best in operationalising the Thermal Power Plant and the Light Section Mill at Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited very soon.
Speaking on behalf of the technical partners, Mr. Suneon Birgev of Mogivlev Tech Montagie, said they were going to do their best in the execution of the project on Ajaokuta Steel Company .
[Vanguard]