Ajaokuta Steel To Resume Production, Soon

The Minister of Mines and Steel, Mr Musa Sada, says he will ensure that Ajaokuta Steel Mill will resume production soon.

Sada, who resumed duty in Abuja on Tuesday, told newsmen that he would, through the Federal Ministry of Justice, settle all the problems about the steel mill and ensure that it resumed production.

The minister said that Ajaokuta had three stages of production, adding that he would ensure that the mill began production, at least, in its first stage during his tenure.

He said that he would develop a roadmap that would help to clearly define the scope of work and important areas to be pursued by the ministry.

“In this country each state has at least one form of mineral or another, the challenge we have is, we have to make a difference as experts in this sector.  “We should share information in order to lay the operational framework of this sector.

“We have to make mines and steel work because we have the basic raw materials to develop the sector but now the sector is contributing basically nothing to the country’s GDP,” he said.

Sada although a lot of lucrative opportunities existed in the mines and steel industry, the country had not shown enough interest to make it thrive.

He said that the main objective of the ministry was to pursue an agenda that would reduce poverty, create jobs and attract foreign investors.

He called for cooperation among stakeholders to ensure adequate funds for the ministry to develop the sector in order to contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.

He said the Mining Cadastre Office had issued 10,000 licences for mineral explorers but warned that it would seize the licences if those holding them failed to utilise them.