Business
NCP Clears Firm Of Asset Stripping
The National Council on
Privatisation (NCP) has debunked the allegation of asset stripping levelled against UC Rusal, owners of Aluminum Smetting Company of Nigeria (ALSCON), Ikot-Abasi in Akwa Ibom State.
This was contained in a statement by the Head, Public communications Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr. Chigbo Amchebe, which was made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt.
Chairman of the NCP’s fact finding committee, Mr Emmanuel Amadi was quoted in the statement as saying that the company’s machines and structures were intact.
Amadi said the committee had taken an assessment tour of the multi-million naira plant in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State with a view to verifying the allegation made by the workers that UC Rusal limited was selling vital assets of ALSCON.
“What was construed as asset stripping was the disposal of scraps, non-liquid assets, faulty and inactive equipment and their parts by UC Rusal. What were disposed of were spent anode butts, anode stems and Yokes, aluminum Metal pads, Cathode and anode busbar, coke and Pitch for anode production and Cathode bars,” he said.
Amadi, however noted that the factory has been shut down for a while, and expressed displeasure over the closure even as he urged the management to quickly develop and submit to the government, a business plan to keep the plant functional.
He called for industrial harmony between the former management of ALSCON and the new owners to pave way for smooth operations of the company.
The chairman also appealed to the management of the company to reconsider recalling some of the sacked union officials.