Outgoing minister of Mines and Steel Development Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite has said he would like to return to academics when the tenure of present administration expires tomorrow.
The minister said this Friday when he was asked by journalists what he would be doing next if he was not reappointed to a government office during a valedictory dinner held in his honour by stakeholders in solid minerals and steel sector organised by Diplomatic Vista, a leading facilitator of diplomatic engagements, trade and investment between Nigeria and the international community.
At the event speaker after speaker praised Adegbite’s stint as minister, saying he raised the bar with his hands-on leadership of the industry.
The minister also said the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited, ASCL, would start to function in the near future as the Buhari administration had taken it to an advanced level.
Speaking to journalists at the side lines of the event, the minister said the challenges posed by the Kogi State Government and other bottlenecks to the planned concession of Ajaokuta would be resolved by the next administration and the steel mill would eventually begin to function.
“Ajaokuta seems to be intractable but that’s not true. We’ve taken Ajaokuta to a point, and we would have achieved a bigger milestone, but we had an impediment. The Kogi State Government thought it differently, went to court and that stopped what we were doing.
“But I’m sure this will be resolved and Ajaokuta will start producing. Government is a continuum,” he said.
Recall that the federal government had commenced the concession process for ASCL and the National Iron Ore Mining Company, NIOMCO, at Itakpe both in Kogi State with an advertisement, however, the Kogi State Government went to court and got an injunction restraining the process
The defendants in the matter are the Attorney General of the Federation, the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and the National Iron Ore Mining Company.
On the $600 million Kaduna private integrated steel plant, located in Gujeni village of Kagarko LGA in Kaduna State, being built by African Natural Resources and Mines, the Minister said it had been fully completed and being test run ahead of its official launch.
The event was attended by dignitaries including some co-ministers, senators, and House of Reps members, relatives and well-wishers among others from across the country and beyond, and witnessed an outpouring of goodwill messages/tributes which later climaxed in cutting of cake and toast to the Minister.
Mr Segun Lawson, the owner/CEO of Segilola Gold Project, the subsidiary of Thor Explorations Limited in Ogun State, who welcomed the guests on behalf of the organisers, said the event tagged: “A Dinner, Networking, and Recognition Night” was put together with stakeholders to appreciate the outstanding contributions of the two outgoing ministers, Adegbite, and the Minister of State, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Oluwatoyin Akinlade, and top management as well as the rank and file staff of the ministry.
“It is on record that they had discharged their duties creditably well, and diversification agenda of the federal government through the solid minerals sector has been taken to a higher pedestal,” he added.
Senator Ibikunle Amusun, a former Ogun State governor whom the celebrant, Adegbite, acknowledged as his mentor who first appointed him as commissioner and later recommended him for minister, expressed delight that the minister did not disappoint him.
