By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

IKPA Ibekwe, host community of the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) in Ikot Abasi Local government area of Akwa Ibom state, has said  RUSAL did not vandalize equipment and assets at the. ALSCON  plant.

It could be recalled that RUSAL, a Russian aluminum giant, ook over the management of ALSCON but discontinued production in 2013 after the cessation of gas supply to the plant by the federal government.

Some leaders of the community while reacting to reports that emerged last week that the RUSAL was vandalising the company’s equipment described such reports as the handiwork of mischief makers.

  The clan Head of Ikpa Ibekwe, HRH Akpan Nelson Inyang  said the community could confirm that no asset of ALSCON has been stolen, stressing, “It is completely false that RUSAL has stripped ALSCON of it’s assets.

   “I have had cause to personally investigate the allegation and have discovered that it is untrue and the handiwork of mischief makers.

   “RUSAL has been committed to maintaining the assets at the plant at great cost even when it is not producing and generating any income for years now.

“Our people need to be sensitized to know that instead of spreading falsehood, they should join hands and voices in calling on the federal government to restore gas supply and put modalities in place to resuscitate ALSCON”.

  Also speaking on the issue, the village head of Ikot Essien in Ikpa Ibekwe,  Eteidung Ufot Nathaniel noted that the community has vigilantes which secure assets of the company as well as monitor the entry and exit of items from the ALSCON plant.

“I can tell you for free that it is not true that RUSAL has been vandalizing equipment from ALSCON. Even if it was true from where will they pass with the vandalized equipment.

  “We have vigilante which secures our territory up to Edemaya, Essene, Ette and other entry and exit points. So there is no such thing as asset stripping”, Nathaniel asserted.

The youth leader of Ikpa Ibekwe, Comrade Etop Sunday hailed the company for living up to it’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), adding that ALSCON has impacted positively on its host community.

He listed establishment of Computer literacy centre, Skills acquisition centre, youth development centre and several scholarship awards to indigenes of Ikpa Ibekwe and it’s environs as some of the CSR interventions by RUSAL-ALSCON.