Coalition For The Revival Of Ajaokuta Steel Company,has implored the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission [ICRC], to urgently interrogate the ongoing privatization process by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.
This was necessary in order to ensure transparent, accountable and productive process for the benefit of Nigerians,the coalition said in a communique issued at the end of recent meeting of its steering committee.
The coalition lamented the seeming lack of transparency in the ongoing bidding process for the selection of investors for ASCL, the non-disclosure of the methods adopted and non-compliance with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007, especially Section 19[b], which mandates Ministries, Departments and Agencies [MDAs} of government to invite observers in all public bid process.
“We are particularly worried that the engagement of consultant to perform this privatization process did not follow due process of law and therefore, the selection of the investors as stated by the Minister is opaque and likely to give room for corruption,”the communique said.
The coalition advised the incoming administration to ensure that the current efforts of President Muhammed Buhari on the revival of Ajaokuta Steel company Ltd is sustained for the eventual completion of the steel plant.
It advocated institutionalized transparency, accountability and integrity mechanisms in the entire process to avoid pitfalls of the past.
The coalition said in the In the last seven years of the Buhari’s administration, Nigerians and the international community are aware of the challenges associated with the revival of ASCL and the efforts put in place to address them.
The coalition commended President Muhammad Buhari for his commitments to the revival of the steel plant,demonstrated through his visit to Sochi, Russia in October 2019 during the Russia-Africa Economic Summit, the inauguration of the Ajaokuta Presidential Project Implementation Team (APPIT), the settlement of the legal arbitration and the payment of $496m to Global Steel.
It added:”It is equally on record the efforts of the government to get the Russians and other international companies to conduct the technical audits of the plant, as well as the ongoing process to concession ASCL to investors”
Mohammad Bougei Attah, of NGO Network,Abuja ,Otunba Dele Ajayi-Smith,African Citizens Development Foundation, Lagos,Prince Chris Azor,Int’l Peace and Civic Responsibility Center, Awka,Oluseyi Oyebisi,Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organizations, Lagos and Raymond Enoch,Center for Environmental Education and Development, Jalingo,signed the communique made available to Premium News in Lagos