EYC Memo to the President

Our ref: EYC/NEC/01/16                                                                            Date: 29^th May, 2010

His Excellency

Dr. Goodluck E. Jonathan, GCFR

President and Commander–in–Chief

Federal Republic of Nigeria

Your Excellency,

REMOVAL AND THEFT OF VITAL INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT AT AJASTEEL AND NIOMCO:

 AN APPEAL FOR URGENT INTERVENTION

The above named umbrella body of youths of Kogi Central Senatorial District hereby congratulates you on your epochal assumption of duty as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. We also commend your historic strides in governance so far; as evident in your appointment of technocrats, your avowal to ensure a credible reform in the electoral process for the nation and, indeed, your administration’s approval of the sum of six hundred and fifty million naira (N650, 000, 000.00) for the take-off of the Ajaokuta Steel Company (Ajasteel) and National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO), Itakpe, to mention but few.

As the Congress and, indeed, the entire nation, pray for the success of your administration, we humbly draw Your Excellency’s attention to the wanton removal of vital equipment and tools and theft of industrial explosives in both Ajasteel and NIOMCO respectively, and other administrative issues. We are very much convinced that should the issues be allowed to linger unaddressed, they could obstruct the realization of the good intention of government demonstrated recently through the release of the aforesaid fund to make operational some units in the giant iron and steel companies.

1.0  The Case of Ajaokuta Steel Company:

Questionable removal of vital equipment from Ajasteel: Your Excellency may wish to know that several equipment and items, some of them spare-parts of over two hundred (200) tonnes, for servicing some machines of the Ajasteel Company as well as three ware houses, were allegedly approved for the removal of a Nigerian construction firm – MAK CONSTRUCTION Company. On the strength of our conviction after a careful scrutiny of photocopies of the document allegedly approving the removal of the vital items and equipment (please see Annexure A 1-7), we wish to humbly submit that:

1.1  There is obvious discrepancy in the date of the letter of approval addressed to the Interim Management Committee (IMC) and the date of inauguration of the IMC: the approval letter dated 30^th January, 2008 whereas the IMC was inaugurated on 10^th April, 2008.

1.2  The long time (interregnum) between the time that the Russian company, TPE, purportedly sold the items to MAK CONSTRUCTION coy (1994) and the time they started removing the items (2009) remains questionable.

1.3  The magnitude of the so-called scraps approved by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, as indicated in the ‘Appendices’ attached to the letter of approval, to us at the youth Congress, is also questionable.

1.4  The quick removal of the equipment and vital industrial items before the commencement of the technical audit of the company left more questions than answers; and

1.5  The refusal and subsequent resort of the IMC to mobilizing some elders of Ebiraland to appeal to the Congress instead of engaging the leadership in constructive dialogue, which we requested in writing, also raised serious concern.

2.0   The Case of NIOMCO, Itakpe:

2.1  Theft of Vital Industrial Welding Machine and cartons of very High Explosives: Probably in an attempt to comply with the Federal Government’s policy to out-source the jobs of security and drivers, the IMC was said to have engaged the services of a security outfit. However, we are seriously worried that since the development, reports have indicated that a vital industrial welding machine has been dismantled and removed from the premises of the company by yet to be identified persons. The most worrisome aspect of the incidents of removal of vital items is the recent ‘disappearance’ of high explosives from the glare of the security outfit (you may wish to peruse Annexure B 1-2). As we write, Your Excellency, the IMC is yet to solve this problem.

2.2  IMC Interference into Union Matters: We have been trying to resolve amicably a crisis of confidence between two groups of union leaders of the Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN) in the company. In the cause of our investigation into the face-off, the IMC was incriminated / indicted – it was alleged that the IMC is covertly sustaining the crisis to divert attention from alleged illegal activities it has engaged itself. The EYC views this as vey disturbing and unhealthy for harmonious/peaceful Management-staff industrial relationship.

3.0  Our Prayers

In the light of the foregoing, Your Excellency, the EYC pleads for your dispassionate consideration of the following suggestions toward addressing the issues raised in this memorandum:

-   Termination of the appointment of the IMC: This is necessary because the continued expenditure of over eight million (N8,000,000.00) monthly on the 16-member IMC by the FG, in spite of the existence of both companies’ experienced administrative management staff, cannot be said to be financially auspicious at this critical time of the nation’s economic history. By implication, chief executive officers should be appointed for each company as the case may be.

-  Government need institute a panel of inquiry into the alleged sale of “scraps” by the initial handlers of Ajasteel, Tyazhpromexport (TPE), to the MAK CONSTRUCTION Company, Nig. Ltd which led to the recent dismantling of a wide variety of equipment by the company.

-  Government need institute a panel of inquiry into the theft of vital company assets and high explosives allegedly numbering one hundred and twenty cartons from the NIOMCO, Itakpe, and the dismantling of heavy/industrial welding machine from the same company, under the IMC employed security outfit.

- Government need prosecute any one who is eventually found guilty of the above offences, irrespective of his position. 

We humbly anticipate your urgent intervention into the matter to save both companies from avoidable decay and to also save the FG from sinking hard-earned resources into the drain through carefully orchestrated malevolence of a few unpatriotic Nigerians.

We thank you sincerely.

Yours truly,

      Nuhu Ogirima                                                                                      Engr. Sadiq I. Ogu

  President General                                                                                Secretary General

08036171236, 08077256925                                                                                                08036051249, 08052731178

Cc.

1. His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Chief (Dr.) Philips O. Salawu, JP.
2. The Honourable Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja.
3.  The Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Abuja.
4. Distinguished Senator Salihu O. Ohize, The Senate, National Assembly (NASS), Abuja.
5. His Royal Majesty, Alhaji (Dr.) Ado Ibrahim, CON, Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.
6. Their Highnesses, the Ohis of Districts of Ebiraland.
7. All Elders and opinion leaders of Kogi Central Senatorial District both at home and in the Diaspora.
8. Committee of Elders of Ebira Youth Congress at home and abroad.
9.  All youth organizations of Kogi Central Senatorial District.