Ajaokuta steel plant is 90% complete, says Ben Bruce

Ben Murray Bruce, senator representing Bayelsa east constituency and chairman of senate committee on privatisation, says Ajaokuta steel plant is 90 percent complete.

Bruce, who led a delegation of the joint committee of the national assembly to the plant in Kogi state on Tuesday, said the project had been abandoned for too long.

“With Senate and House committee on privatization today at Ajaokuta. As Chairman I declare Ajaokuta is 90% complete, yet, this national treasure has been left to rot! This must change,” he said.

“For 22 years they should have had a plan through the minister of national planning. The minister of national planning should be the one integrating the policies of any government in power at the particular time.

“When you go through the detailed presentation and listen to arguments it is difficult to draw conclusions. When you don’t listen to the reasons why you are here in the first place?

“That is why it was important for all of us to listen to the arguments and understand the reason why. But let me say this, I am really touched by the presentation and the kind of leadership you have here.

“First of all, you are a Nigerian, secondly you want to develop this beautiful country and create job opportunities for your people, and more importantly you want to create an environment where those of us in office will look back and say while I was there I did something for my people, but obviously this is not the case.”

He however directed the ministry of solid minerals to marshal the management of the steel company to the senate on Thursday.

“I am directing the Ministry of Solid Minerals and Steel to get the management of Ajaokuta Steel Company to be at the Senate 10am Thursday morning.

“I am giving a directive. I am not asking a question. The ministry must be represented. We are going to discuss this in the full view of the Nigerian public and we will not leave there until we find solution to Nigeria’s problems.

“When we are done, we will proceed to see the Vice President. He is head of the Economic Council. We will find solution to this problem, we are not going to come here for fun.”