23 january 2013, Sweetcrude, Lokoja — Mr Attah Achimugu, Chairman/Chief Executive of Reprom Nigeria Ltd says that with adequate funding, the Ajaokuta steel plant can function effectively.
Attah said that contrary to widely held belief, the plant was not obsolete, adding that it was technically sound to handle steel production.
He disclosed that a steel plant in Ukraine, over 105 years old is still working with minimal maintenance.
Attah whose company is trying to put in place a joint venture agreement with the Ajaokuta steel company said when the venture starts off, they will start with 10, 000 tones production capacity and move to more than 400, 000 tones of finished products.
he disclosed that the strength of a steel company is the workforce, which abound in Ajaokuta, adding that his company would re- engage over 12, 000 Nigerian engineers who were laid-off due to unhealthy policies against the steel company.
“What Ajaokuta steel required was digitization which could be completed in 10 months,” Attah said.
He noted that all parameters of an integrated steel plant was complete at Ajaokuta steel plant, saying that the issue of obsolence was out of the question.
