18 July 2018, Sweetcrude, Abuja —
Lagos — The Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited, ASCL, is about to have its own law to protect it from private interests and government interruptions, among others, SweetcrudeReports has learnt.
The Bill for the protection of the the project, sponsored by Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai, representing Ndokwa/Ukwani Federal Constituency in Delta State, passed the first reading at the House of Representatives on July 10.
If eventually passed into law, it will serve as a norm of conduct for the resuscitation, operation and management of the moribund Ajaokuta Steel, together with the National Iron Ore Mining Company, NIOMCO, in Itakpe, Kogi State.
In a note to SweetcrudeReports, Barr. Natasha Akpoti, a rights activist who has been campaigning for a successful completion of the Ajaokuta Steel plant, said the law, when it comes into effect, will protect Ajaokuta from “misfortunes arising from vested private interests, overzealous government interruptions, provide resolution for conflicts and contain consequences for breaking the law”.
“The absence of this proposed law has been the reason for government’s unpatriotic actions or inactions on Ajaokuta Steel over the past many years”, she stated.
“In short, this law will ensure that social justice is served on Ajaokuta while ensuring that the good people of Nigeria enjoy the dividends of our God-given resources through a viable steel sector”, Akpoti added.
