By James Emejo in Abuja
- Five persons have reportedly die
The House of Representatives has again taken a swipe at the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi over his recent denial that he had appointed to Greenwich Trust Limited or any one at all as Transactional Adviser for the concession of Ajaokuta Steel Company.
In an escalation of the feud between both parties, the lower House had alleged the minister had vested interest in the ongoing efforts by the federal government to concession the Steel complex.
Fayemi had shunned a sectoral debate organised by the House to find ways of resuscitating the moribund plant by having government commit resources towards its completion instead of looking for a concessionaire.Â
This is partly because two previous efforts to concession the company had failed to yield positive results.
But the minister appeared bent on going on with the planned programme on the plant, thereby drawing the wrath of the legislature.
The House on Thursday passed a motion to among other things delete Ajaokuta Steel Company from the schedule of the Privatisation Act.
However, the lower chamber, in a statement by its spokesman, Hon. Abdulrasak Namdas, said its attention has been drawn to a press statement issued by Fayemi where he denied that the Ministry of Mines and Steel have contracted any transactional adviser for the concession of Ajaokuta Steel Company or any one at all.
He said: “According to the statement, the process for the appointment of a transaction adviser is on, but cannot be completed until it gets the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), and as such, no one has been hired.
“However, the House of Representatives stand by its position which was repeatedly acknowledged publicly in the past by Mr Fayemi that Greenwich Trust Limited had been acting in the capacity of transaction adviser for Ajaokuta Steel Company.
“As representatives of the Nigerian people, the House of Representatives has set up an Ad Hoc Committee to unravel the issues surrounding the renewed bid to illegally concession Ajaokuta Steel through the back door, by Mr Fayemi.
“If Mr Fayemi claims that no one had been hired as transaction adviser, is he also repudiating his press conference of last week on the appointment of internationally discredited and compromised firm to undertake an audit of Ajaokuta Steel without due process?. On whose authority is Greenwich Trust Limited acting on Ajaokuta including coming up with a report on the possible options open to government to reactivate the steel complex?
“Nigerians will not be fooled, deceived or hoodwinked on this matter because how do you explain that a company which has not yet been appointed started work and even submitted a report based on which decisions relating to the future of Ajaokuta steel are being made?”
“Is this not a clear case of abuse of office? For avoidance of doubt, the House of Representatives will continue in its resolve to ensure that Ajaokuta Steel Company is completed in the national interest.
 In any case, any information or suggestion from the Ministry or Mr Kayode Fayemi or any stakeholder should now be channeled to the House Ad hoc Committee on Ajaokuta Steel Complex, charged with responsibility of investigating the issues and not through press releases or press conferences.”
