Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has called for the veracity of Ajaokuta Steel’s workforce and demanded clarification on the N4.2 billion personnel budget.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents the Kogi Central Senatorial District, criticized the N4.2 billion allocated in the 2024 budget for personnel costs at the defunct Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited, calling it unacceptable, according to Arise News.
She voiced her dissatisfaction during the Senate ad hoc committee’s investigative hearing on alleged instances of corruption and inefficiency at Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and the National Iron Ore Mining Company between 2002 and to date.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is the Deputy Chairman of the Committee, asked the Sole Administrator of the Steel Company, Summaila Abdul Akaba, to give details of workers collecting salaries from the N4.2 billion appropriated for personnel cost in the 2024 budget.
As an indigene of the state, she expressed her desire to see the Steel Company revamped and operational.
She noted her unannounced visits to the company and hardly found 10 people working there.
The Senator pointed out that no steel has been produced and no mill rolled despite such a humongous amount of money being spent on personnel costs by the Steel Company annually.
She said, “The Sole Administrator of Ajaokuta Steel Company, I have a good question for you being an indigene from the area, very worried about the state of the company and passionate about its revival.
“The sum of N4.2 billion was appropriated for personnel cost in 2024, but from several visitations I made to the complex, hardly were 10 people sighted to be around or doing anything.
“So, who are the workers collecting monthly salaries from the appropriated N4.2billion?
“Statistically, if N300,000 is paid monthly to 14,000 people per month for a year, you get N4.2 billion or N500,000 to 8,400 workers per month in a year.
“Where are the 14, 000 or 8,400 workers in Ajaokuta, the appropriated N4.2 billion is being spent on?” she asked.
The Minority Whip of the Senate who is also a member of the committee, Senator Osita Ngwu did not allow the sole administrator of the complex to respond to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s question.
Ngwu said, “Please don’t let us indict ourselves because the said appropriation was approved by the National Assembly.”
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, a director from the Central Bank of Nigeria, a director from the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Steel and Engineering Union Workers of Nigeria, and other important parties were present at the investigative hearing.
