*Ajaokuta Steel plant.
Sam Ikeotuonye
Lagos — The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, says his ministry was working hard to endure progress on the Ajaokuta Steel Project in line with presidential directive for the completion and take off of the project.
Adegbite, at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, said President Muhammadu Buhari has given marching orders to the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development for the completion of the abandoned project.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Special Duty, Sunny Ekozin, the minister said the ministry had been working “round the clock to actualise the presidential directives.”
He said: “For the past three months, we have been doing everything possible to ensure we make progress and we are happy to let the nation know that the President has given us full backing in this assignment.
“The support given by the President includes political backing to ensure that Ajaokuta works and by the grace of God it will work soon”.
According to him, part of the directives by President Buhari was for the sector to solve long intractable problems bedeviling the solid minerals and to ensure Nigeria could rely on the sector to diversify its economy.
