Following “arrogant display of impunity” by officials of Premium Steel and Mines Limited, PSML, operators of the Delta Steel Company, Ovwian-Aladja, Delta State, in walking out on the National Assembly panel sitting during the House of Representatives probe into its management, the Urhobo Peoples International Assembly, UPIA, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to PSML to apologise for their irrational conduct or face the wrath of the people, which will manifest in shutting down the company.

The National President of the group, Dr Liege-Lord Keston Okoro Muhammed Al-Amin, in a statement released to newsmen on Friday expressed dismay with the attitude of the Company representatives.

He said they “displayed unimaginable degree of arrogance, a huge slap upon the face of the highest lawmaking authority (National Assembly) and a compound reflection of a highest level of disrespect upon the constitutional constituents and their representatives.

“These include the Udu Local Government Council Chairman and his officials, representatives of the Udu traditional council, leaders of Udu Kingdom and youths representatives, who stormed the National Assembly on behalf of the Kingdom, to register their grievances as no form of activity is taking place in the plant any longer except their selfish interest and gains.

“Painfully, this is a most lucrative, productive and economic generating plant and the ultimate magnificent federal government parastatal in the Niger Delta which no doubt, if well organized to function optimally could accommodate over 5,000 workers with the projection of efficient economic solution for job and wealth creation.

‘’We are alarmed at the way and manner the once promising and burgeoning integrated steel plant has been reduced to ordinary carcass by the company management.

“They still have the gut to walk out on the owners of the land who are complaining of their evil and devilish behaviour and action for destroying the whole of the company and the land. Today, DSC is no more DSC.

‘’It is pertinent to know that the Federal Government did not pay for the land acquired for location of the company.

“All that was paid for was crops and investments in the land. So, no company whether private or public limited liabilities operating in such an environment has the right to take the host communities for granted, seize their properties unlawfully, intimidate, humiliate and indiscriminately threaten the people because of their claims to their legitimate and fundamental rights. It is so irritating and unacceptable.

‘’Beyond reasonable doubt, the Udu people are known for love, painstaking and tolerance but this does not mean they should be taken for granted as this disgruntled actions by Premium Steel management cannot be tolerated by any of the local government in the state and the country at large.”

The group further placed some demands before the company as the way forward to include the following:  “We hereby give Premium Steel and Mines Limited seven days ultimatum to apologise to all the people, constituted authorities and institutions they humiliated with their walk out and disgruntled actions.

“We demand further that they must publish the apology in five national dailies to fully capture their remorsefulness.

“They must go back to the National Assembly to establish their sense and action of apology.

‘’They must state in very clear terms in an undertaking that within six months the company must be rehabilitated and functional to her full potentials.

“They must meet up to their social responsibilities and loyalties duly paid to the host communities and these must be captured in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) .

‘’That company must also reserve some managerial and directorate positions for the host communities not just casual and insignificant positions.

‘’That henceforth all operations going on in the company should stop until all of the above demands are met otherwise they will face the wrath of the people as the company must be shut down’’, the statement said.

The former House of Assembly member added that the protest against Premium Steel and Mines Limited shall be massive and that ‘’this is not a mere threat but a promise we shall keep.

“We have given PSML enough time to change the face of the company and bring the past glory. It is certain they are not capable of reviving the plant.

“They should therefore quit the stage for more serious investors to step in. In seven days time, if PSML fail to do the needful, they shall feel the wrath of the land,” Keston Okoro Al-Amin declared.

Attempts are still on to get the steel firm to respond to the demands.

Vanguard News Nigeria