Daily Independent Online.
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Thursday, July 01, 2004.
Committee declares Solgas unfit to execute
Ajaokuta plant
By Uchenna Awom
National
Assembly
Correspondent, Abuja
It is no longer in doubt that Solgas Energy
Nigeria lacks the competence to complete the Ajaokuta Steel Project, going by
the submission made to the House of Representatives Committee on Steel by the
chairman of the Presidential Monitoring Committee on the Solgas/Ajaokuta Steel
Project Concession Agreement, Mr. Philip Umunnakwe.
The committee was invited by the House to
give a report on progress of work so far in the abandoned steel plant in the
past six months.
Umunnakwe told the House that not much
progress has been made in Ajaokuta by Solgas to convince Nigerians that they
are capable of completing the project, adding that his committee was not happy
with the progress so far at the complex.
He added that Solgas advanced excuses for
its non-performance ranging from lack of cooperation by some ministries,
particularly in terms of duty exemptions, tax holiday and sabotage because some
people are not happy that the company was awarded such a concession
arrangement.
Umunnakwe said his committee has decided to
appoint auditors who will audit the account of Ajaokuta within the last eight
months to determine how much Solgas has put into the project as these will
determine whether they are capable of handling the project and completing it as
agreed.
He said time is running out as Nigerians
would want to know what is going on in the troubled steel plant.
The chairman of the House Committee, Aliyu
Omeiza Saiki, said the report submitted, which will be revealed fully at a
leter date, suggest that all over for Solgas Energy in Ajaokuta.
