The Chairman and Managing Director of Energy Services Limited, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has appealed to the federal government to sell the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company and allow private sector expertise restructure it for the benefit of Nigerians.
He said no Nigerian will be happy after visiting the Ajaokuta Steel Company and see investments of more than $8bn rotting away.Onuesoke who spoke to newsmen in Warri after a private tour of the premises of the steel complex, recently, lamented that Ajaokuta steel Company that had reached 98 per cent completion as far back as 1994 had not produced a single steel till date, while Government is wasting huge sum of over N2 billion for payment of staff salaries every year for doing nothing.
He recalled that the federal government budgeted N3.9 billion in 2016 and N4.27 billion in 2017 for the resuscitation of the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company, despite an earlier business case in the last administration showing that the complex could only work if properly privatised. He added that there was also a humongous budget on it in 2018.
“So why would anyone continue to pump money into an enterprise that is unproductive? Why do government keep promoting, paying staff salaries, pensioning and retiring them? Why do government spend appropriation budget on maintenance of plant that is not working? How do you maintain a non-commission plant? Onuesoke queried.
The businessman, who disclosed that successive administrations have pumped $8bn so far into the complex since 1979, lamented that it was, however, sad that the gigantic steel plant idea conceived and executed by past leaders had failed to contribute to the development of Nigeria.
Kindly let's know if your chairman is interested. When your cronies were in govt, we know how it was biz as usual. 'Urged to sell' ☠️☠️
Let sell also Aso rock. Let this illegal marriage end!
What a shame for this presence administration
Let them kuku ma sell Nigeria. Fowl heads!
What a shame this Govt has nothing to offer to this country...😢😢😢
By 2023,the next government will have nothing else left to sell aside that House of Assembly and Aso Rock. By then, let us see whether Federal government will start bearing Arms and turn to Arm robbers. Useless set of people 👎