By Prince Okafor

NIGERIAN Human rights activist, Barrister Natasha Akpoti, has said that Ajaokuta and Itakpe were held down by the management of Global Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, GINL, and Global Steel Holding Limited, GSHL for eight years without any payment for economic damages.

She also called on the Federal Government to ensure clear policy direction with regard to fulfilling their mandate of running an inclusive government, taking into cognizance, the contract procedure. According to her, “The only difference is the concessionary fee that GHNL are going to pay Nigeria which was increase from three percent to four percent.

“This is after giving them the whole resources, and after the second year of operation that is when they will begin to pay Nigeria four percent after royalty and taxes. That’s it! So it is practically the same. “It will be interesting for the minister to speak up, let everybody know what they are tied to. It is our common resource; such agreement should not be held to the detriment of Nigerians in darkness.

She explained that if Ajaokuta and Itakpe had been working for these past eight years, the country would have made huge revenue from the complex and the economy won’t be where it now.

“It is clear that the Indians having been holding Ajaokuta complex to ransom for over eight years and now, Federal Government is giving them back Itakpe, with the knowledge that they have not produced any successful project in the world till date,” she said.

She noted that “One would have expected that a government that preaches transparency, due diligence and accountability, to do things the right way but here we have Nigeria signing on with Global Infrastructure Steel Limited, GISL Itakpe without a business plan. They are just about to start drafting a business plan for the iron ore company.

“What if the business plan they are going draft in 105 days is not in line with our diversification plan. Are we going to be caught up between the devil and deep blue sea and the next thing to think is to save Ajaokuta. Let us not forget that Ajaokuta is nothing without Itakpe and Itakpe is actually the meat. Ajaokuta was actually created because of Itakpe.

“For effectiveness of the steel mines, the management of Itakpi must uphold the finest principle, such that there will be no mismanagement of resources,” she explained.

Meanwhile, it would be recalled that, in 2008, late President Umaru Yar’ Adua terminated the contract of GIHL and ordered the arrest of Pramod Mittal for breach of contract, debt, and rip-off of the Ajaokuta Steel and NIOMCO, Itakpe. GIHL left the country and took the case the Arbitration Court in London.

Yar’ Adua led government inaugurated a five-man administrative panel of inquiry to probe the concession agreement it entered with GIHL on the Ajaokuta Steel Company and the sale of other related Steel companies.

Minister of Mines and Steel Sarafa Tunji Isola inaugurated the Committee at the Conference Hall of the Ministry in Abuja. The panel was chaired by Magaji Inuwa, a former General Manager and Chief Executive of Ajaokuta Steel Company while other members include Ibrahim Gubio, a retired Police Commissioner, Emmanuel Nwodi Ekeh, Vincent Odafe while Kunle Bolajoko is to serve as Secretary to the Committee.

The report of the five-man panel submitted to the steel minister, Chief Tunji Sarafa Ishola, said GIHL failed to deliver on the terms of the concession agreement, instead it used the companies to secure loans without corresponding investments. According to the committee, the N24 billion secured from Zenith, Ecobank, UBA, FBN, Oceanic, FCMB, Bank PHB and Sterling Bank went into private pockets.

However, with the mounting evidence of debt, breach of contract, and degradation of NIOMCO, Itakpe, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi on Channels Television said Federal Government could not provide evidence against GIHL.