RENEWED HOPE AGENDA: Umahi, Shuaib Audu Collaborate On Delivering Tinubus's Road Infrastructural Programmes

Senator Umahi welcoming Steel Development Minister, Shuaib Audu to his office

"The Ministry of Steel Development would play a major role in the road infrastructure revolution plan envisioned by Mr President, by providing more than 16% of the materials needed for the construction of Nigeria's roads in concrete pavement." Engr Dave Umahi.

"We are seriously thinking outside the box to see how we can implement the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President. What we came to discuss here is how to restart steel production at Ajaokuta Steel Plant." Shuaib Audu, Steel Development Minister.

The Honourable Minister of Works, Engr Senator David Nweze Umahi CON in collaboration with his counterpart in the Steel Development Ministry, Shuaib Audu have resolved to work out a harmonious synergy and, strategize on possible ways at tapping into the opportunities in the Ajaokuta Steel Plant for the development of road infrastructure in Nigeria.

This was part of the outcome of an inter-ministerial meeting held today, 21th November, 2023 at the Office of the Honourable Minister of Works, Federal Ministry of Works, Headquarters, Abuja.

According to a statement from Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji, Chief Press Secretary to the Hon. Minister of Works, "this is in keeping with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Sen. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, who is doing everything possible to reverse the ugly trend of Nigeria's developmental history and revolutionize national economic development within the shortest period of time."

Barr, Orji, in the statement which was made available to journalists in Abuja, revealed that, "the far reaching resolution by both Ministers underscored the imperative of coordination, cooperation coherence, and complementarity in the execution of Federal Government's action plans for national development."

 Speaking on the outcome of their meeting, the Hon. Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi said that the Ministry of Steel Development would play a major role in the road infrastructure revolution plan envisioned by Mr President by providing more than 16% of the materials needed for the construction of Nigeria's roads in concrete pavement. 

"Tapping into the opportunities in Steel Industry would not only create jobs and wealth for Nigeria's population, it would also create a global market and encourage industrialization." He said.

"How do we reactive Ajaokuta Steel? We are going into concrete road; in this concrete road, about 16 percent of it is from steel while 30 percent is cement. We need a lot of money to start but we decided to face it and God has given us an idea.

"If we start waiting for the Federal Goverment, it might become difficult. We did Return On Investment (ROI) and, considering the likely profit, a considerable part of it will go into paying bank interests.

"We are looking at commercial banks but the Federal Executive Council has to endorse it. If this could be done, it means Mr President is actually living to his words and this is going to be possible." Umahi stated.

Umahi commended his counterpart, the Minister of Steel Development for his efforts in developing the steel sector, noting that, "the steel industry is the bedrock of Nigeria's industrialization and the backbone that stimulates national development and economic boost for the industrial growth of any nation. 

He assured the Hon. Minister of Steel Development that his Ministry would work collaboratively in his efforts of  enhancing the potentialities of Ajaokuta Steel Plant; the largest Steel Mill in Nigeria. 

"Mr President never made a mistake in his appointment. I call him a Divine President, and the most important thing is that our eyes are on the job.”  

“One of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President is to think outside the box. Mr President inherited a large shunk of debt from the past administration. The beauty about it is that he is not complaining. He knew how the country was before he took the job and how it is. The good thing is that, if you have passion for something, God will give you an idea." Senator Umahi stated.

Earlier on, the Honourable Minister of Steel Development, Shuaib Audu while speaking on the meeting, disclosed that it was a robust and incisive interaction.

“My mission is a wonderful one. I had a  fantastic meeting initiated by the Hon. Minister of Works. We are seriously thinking outside the box to see how we can implement the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President. What we came to discuss here is how to restart steel production at Ajaokuta Steel Plant. The  Honourable Minister of Works has made it very clear that the Federal  Government is looking to develop over 30,000 kilometers of road and a large component of that will be from Steel wrought, and a good percentage of that Steel wrought will be produced in Ajaokuta. We came to have a discussion on how to implement the process for producing it in Ajaokuta within the shortest possible time."

Emphasizibg the importance of the initiative by both Ministers, the Steel Development Minister expresssed hope that it would provide the needed economic boost for the nation, generate revenue and provide thousands of direct jobs for skilled and non-skilled technicians including hundreds of thousands of unskilled jobs in Nigeria.

"We are to achieve 2 or 3 three things; one, to create job opportunity for Nigerians as a whole, two, to ensure that the corridor around the North Central Zone and around the Ajaokuta-Warri axis is busy with activities and thirdly, the plant has been inactive for close to four decades and we are here to restart the plant within the shortest possible time.”