Nigeria’s defence ministry and its steel development counterpart have entered into partnership to commence the production of military hardware at the nation’s premier steel firm located in Ajaokuta in North Central Kogi state.
The Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, said on Friday in Abuja during at the opening of a meeting with officials of the two ministries that the government was committed to actualising the light steel mill of the steel complex to produce iron for the production of several military hardware and equipment.
He added that the officials had earlier met to perfect plans for the commencement of production of the military hardware at the Ajaokuta Steel Company, a complex which was abandoned after it was 95 percent completed by the Russian contractors.
“Ajaokuta steel company will become a source of iron to be used for the production of military hardware locally and with the combined efforts of the two ministries, production will commence soon,” Matawalle added.
He urged the permanent secretaries of both ministries to come up with a draft of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to kick start the implementation of the project.
Similarly, the Minister of Steel Development, Mr Shuaibu Audu, said that the government was committed to resuscitating the Ajaokuta steel plant.
He commended officials of the two ministries for working to actualise the partnership.
Also, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Dr Ibrahim Kana, assured Nigerians that the project would come to fruition soon.
The meeting was also attended by the Managing Director of Ajaokuta Steel Company, Sumaila Abdul-Akaba, and the Director-General of National Metallurgical Development Centre, Jos, Prof. Linus Asuquo, among others.
