Appeals has gone to the Assets Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, to quickly offset the emoluments owed former staff of the moribund Delta Steel Company, Ovwian-Aladja, so as to pave way for the new investors to begin the revamping process of the plant without encumbrances,
Urhobo Youths, under the aegis of Urhobo National Youth Congress, UNYC that made the appeal stated that that instead of blaming Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for the delay, AMCON should rather be blamed because the revamping process cannot commence except the former staff are settled.
The group, in statement signed by Comrade John Oghenekparowho, President and Comrade Peter Edijala, Secretary, decried the reference to the statement credited to Governor Okowa in late 2015 in which he assured that DSC, under the management of Premium Steel and Mines Limited, would begin production in about 14 months time, noting that the statement by the governor was predicated on assurances from AMCON that the arrears owed former staff of the company would be cleared soon by them.
‘’While we are concerned with the current state of the company, we want to warn competitors to stop playing corporate politics with the fate of the Aladja Steel plant. Our checks revealed that Premium Steel and Mines Limited are set to begin the revamping process of the plant which cannot be except the former staff, who are lurking at the corner waiting for their entitlements to be settled.
“Our contention is that Premium Steel and Mines should be given the chance to prove that they are capable of turning around the fortunes of DSC in the interest of all stakeholders instead of pandering to the whims of those who failed in the past yet are subterraneously working to stifle the progress made so far in bringing the company back to production’’, the youth body contended, adding that Udu and Urhobo youths are waiting eagerly for the plant to begin production in line with the statement by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
The group also called on all stakeholders to cooperate with the new investors, be patient and demonstrate understanding of the situation on ground so as to facilitate quick resolution of all encumbrances in the way of revamping the company for growth of the steel sector and for generation of employment opportunities for our people.
John Kpekpen
