Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, said yesterday that President Bola Tinubu was committed to the revitalisation and capacitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Company to enable it produce military hardware to support the fight against insecurity in Nigeria.
The minister spoke when he received the Minister of Steel Development, Abubakar Audu and the Managing Director of Ajaokuta Steel Company, Mr. Sumaila Akaba at the Ship House, Ministry of Defence in Abuja.
Badaru said that the company was known for the local production of military hardware, noting that there was the need to partner with Ministry of Steel Development because 80 to 90 per cent of what was required for the production of military hardware was steel.
He stated that strengthening the company to produce military hardware instead of relying on foreign production would boost the nation’s fight against insurgency and other related crimes.
“Local production of military hardware is critical because the crisis we have in the country at present will not allow us rely on other countries for military hardware,” he said.
To actualise the revitalisation of the company, the minister had directed that a technical committee be set up to determine what to produce, the raw materials to use, cost of reviving the production centre as well as to determine sources of funding.
He urged the Permanent Secretary, Director-General of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), the Managing- Director of Ajaokuta Steel Company as members of the technical committee to work vigorously and come up with a report on the way forward in two weeks time.
In his remarks, the minister of steel development, said that reviving Ajaokuta Steel would be a game changer to the industrial sector and the economy as a whole. He said that due to paucity of funds, production was stalled.
“But I believe that if initiatives are put in place, Ajaokuta Steel will be revived and work will resume within the first four years of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He stated that the company had about 48 production units and one of such units was for production of military hardware, adding that if the ministry of defence collaborates with the company, it would have the capacity to produce military hardware that the nation will need.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Ibrahim kana, said that the essence of the meeting was to take the discussion to a stage where the company can develop a step by step approach on how to actualise the dreams of reviving Ajaokuta Steel in the next four years.
