FROM RAHILA ABDULLAHI, KADUNA
As part of efforts to appraise the current administration as it marks one year in office, Concerned Northern Forum, CNF, has commended the Ministers of Steel Development, Prince Shu’aibu Audu, Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike and Works, Engr Dave Umahi for their commitment towards the success of President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda.
The coalition, comprising more than 73 Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, is focused on the development of Northern Nigeria.
Addressing a press conference yesterday in Kaduna, the coalition’s National Vice Chairman, Comrade Muhammad Abbas congratulated President Tinubu for his impactful one year in office and hailed his indefatigable ministers whose performance thrilled and gave Nigerians hope for a better future.
“Today, we are gathered to celebrate and congratulate President Tinubu on his impactful one year in office and also give a scorecard on some performing ministers. This is our modest way of encouraging Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of hard work and excellence.
“Having done our due diligence and evaluated all the ministers, we have identified true patriots who have served the president and indeed Nigerians.
“Based on our scorecard, the following ministers are top performers. Wike has revolutionised infrastructure and land administration in the FCT within a short period of time.
“Equally deserving of accolades is the minister of works whose giant strides in road construction including the legacy Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Badagry-Sokoto Highway, as well as the ingenious use of cement for construction has drastically cut down the cost of road construction and reduced pressure on foreign exchange.”
According to the CSO, another top performer is the Minister of Interior, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, whose innovative technology and cost saving means have ushered an era of instant passport application and collection.
The coalition’s spotlight was however on the minister of steel development whom they described as “a youth like us, a rare breed who has demonstrated enormous capacity and has pioneered policies and projects for the industrialisation and rapid economic development of the nation”.
While appreciating President Tinubu for deploying technical parameters to measure the performances of ministries using key indicators, an initiative championed by Hadiza Bala Usman, the coalition maintained that even though government has done well, the people who are direct beneficiaries of these policies are in a position to give their perspective on the performance of ministers, hence the spotlight on Audu.
“It is on this note that we have decided to pick Audu as our star performer amongst all the ministers and to make our position known on the historic development in the steel sector within the last one year. We bear witness to the fact that the minister has performed excellently even beyond the expectations of Nigerians, as he strives to revive the hitherto moribund steel sector including the comatose Ajaokuta Steel Complex.
“In line with the vision and blueprint of the president who is determined to stir Nigeria on the path of economic recovery and growth, the minister has already taken steps to explore the possibility of securing up to $5 million funding from the World Bank to finance the 10-year roadmap for the steel and metal sector. This creative solution gives hope to a sector that was unproductive due to negligence and lack of credible administrators and technocrats.
“Already, talks have been completed with Russia’s TyazhPromExport, TPE, Consortium, the original equipment manufacturers and developers of the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited, ASCL, with a view to explore the options available to revive the company. This collaboration is likely to attract additional $2 billion for the revamping of Ajaokuta Steel Company. The minister is also at the concluding stage of raising ₦35 billion (over $25 million) from local financiers for the revival of Light Steel Mill, LSM, at Ajaokuta”.
The coalition also mentioned “plans towards the establishment of a Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, park at the steel complex in order to tap into the ₦100 billion fund set-up by the federal government, as a major step to bringing back to life, the economically viable industry, as well as revive the steel facilities and research centres in Jos, Plateau State and the National Steel Raw Materials Agency, Kaduna”.
It thanked President Tinubu for appointing a promising young man who has not just performed credible, but has become a reference point to what youths can do if given the opportunity and assured him of their continued loyalty since his administration has proven to be progressive and youth centred, especially in the areas of industrialisation and job creation.
“As critical stakeholders and youths who are actively involved in the political and social development of our communities, we have great confidence in this administration’s capacity to create jobs and end youth unemployment. We are assuring Mr President of our continued loyalty provided Prince Audu remains in his cabinet. His sterling performance holds promise for other youths in successive administrations”, the statement concluded.
