Steel Minister, Audu denies allegations over refusal to dissolve NSC board

Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Audu, has denied allegations over refusal to dissolve the Board of National Steel Council, NSC, as alleged by a civil society group, Alliance for Credible Legislative Conduct, ACLC. Audu who spoke through the Head, Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, Salamatu Jibaniya, described the allegations as mere ploy to sabotage his effort to position Nigeria on the map of industrialised nations based on efforts the Tinubu-led administration is making in that direction. According to him, he had interfaced with the Executive Secretary, NSC, Abdulkarim Musafari, which issues raised as allegations against him (Audu)  by the CSOs were on ground before he was appointed Minister, which upon assuming office he never hesitated to address the issues, whereby he immediately set up a fact-finding committee to investigate the several allegations at the Council.

Meanwhile, the Alliance for Credible Legislative Conducts, ACLC, through its chairman, Comrade Afuye Shola, had recently called on the National Assembly to investigate the National Steel Council (NSC) for allegedly disregarding President Bola Tinubu’s directive to dissolve the boards of federal government agencies and parastatals after 10 months during a press conference in Abuja, where they called on relevant committees in the National Assembly overseeing the Ministry of Steel Development to initiate an urgent probe into the matter. Jibaniya said: “The attention of the Ministry of Steel Development has been drawn to some fictitious allegations by a Civil Society Organisation under the aegis, Alliance for Credible Legislative Conduct (ACLC) against the Honourable Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, as it relates to the National Steel Council (NSC).

“These allegations are just a mere ploy by some individuals with vested interests to sabotage the efforts of the Honourable Minister in repositioning the Steel and Metals Sector, and ensure due process is followed in investigating and resolving issues at the National Steel Council in line with the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. Contrary to these allegations, the Honourable Minister of Steel Development upon assuming duty interfaced with the Executive Secretary of the Steel Council, charged with piloting the affairs of the NSC, a Council under his Ministry. The Honourable Minister received briefings on some allegations bordering on various issues that were on the ground between the National Steel Council and its Governing Board before he assumed duty. Upon receiving a briefing and listening to all sides, the Honourable Minister acted accordingly and immediately set up a fact-finding committee on February 9, 2024 to investigate the several allegations at the Council.

“The report of the fact-finding committee was submitted to the Honourable Minister on March 25, 2024 for his review and consideration. The Honourable Minister is currently studying the report before taking necessary actions. These briefings, investigations, and meetings are not prejudice to the Presidential Directive with circular ref. No. SGF.19/S.81/XX/108 of June 16, 2023, dissolving all Boards of Federal Government parastatals, Agencies, Institutions and Government-owned Companies, except those listed in the Third Schedule, Part 1, Section 153 (i) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. She also added that, “The Honourable Minister of Steel Development is fully committed to turning around the economy through industrialisation of which the Steel sector is a key component as envisioned through the creation of the new Ministry of Steel Development under the Administration and leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.