Eunice Imo
Lagos — The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite, has said Nigeria is set to achieve self-sufficiency in steel production following the inauguration of the National Steel Council, NSC.
The minister stated this as he inaugurated the council in Abuja, maintaining that the inauguration would hasten the goal of achieving self-sufficiency in steel production in the country.
The new council is chaired by the former Minister of Power and Steel, Mallam Mohammed Murtala Aliyu and has Ambassador Abdulkarim Musafari as the Executive Secretary.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Adegbite said: “The Council we are inaugurating today, which has Ambassador Abdulkarim Musafari as the Executive Secretary and is chaired by the former Minister of Power and Steel, Mallam Mohammed Murtala Aliyu, is capable of carrying out all its functions effectively.
“This decision (inauguration) is a step in the right direction, which brings us closer to our goal of achieving self-sufficiency in steel production. Indeed, the importance of achieving such a feat cannot be overemphasized as the steel industry remains the backbone of modern society.
“The steel industry serves as a key enabler in the economy by providing the basic raw materials for public infrastructure development projects and key sectors such as housing and real estate development, energy, automotive, defense, and various small and medium enterprises engaged in downstream engineering and fabrication business.”
He said the sector has significant forward and backward linkages regarding material flow, employment, and income generation, noting that President Muhammadu Buhari is aware of this, which is why he has approved the reconstitution of the National Steel Council.
On the law establishing the NSC, Adegbite said: “The National Steel Act clearly makes adequate provisions for the establishment of the National Steel council, which would be responsible for the central planning of the iron and steel industry.
“The Council shall consist of a chairman, executive secretary, four board members, and one representative drawn from the following Federal Ministries, which are Industry; Finance; Power, and Steel.”
He disclosed that one of the functions of the Steel council is central planning, research and development for the steel industry, listing its other functions to include research and development of the technology and other aspects of iron and steel production and the utilisation of the products and by-products of iron and steel plant.
Another function of the council, according to him, is coordination of exploration for iron ore, cooking coal, limestone, dolomite, refractory clay and other minerals related to iron and steel production in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Power and Steel, the Nigerian Coal Corporation and the Nigerian Mining Corporation.
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