From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, has said the country’s steel industry is capable of creating about 40,000 jobs if fully developed.
The minister stated this while on a facility tour of Premium Steel and Mines Limited, Warri, Delta State, yesterday.
“The mandate of the ministry is to expand the sector, use it to diversify the economy, create jobs and generate revenue for the government. I will encourage you to speed up the process.
You are going to employ a lot of people which is a welcome development. For the nation to industrialise, we need to produce flat sheet, which is the ultimate goal of the sector.”
With flat sheet we can produce many things like engine blocks, vehicle bodies etc. Government is willing to do everything to support the industry. That is why we have proposed a Metallurgical Industrial Bill, which is at the council for approval. When it is approved it will support the industry.”
Group Chief Executive Officer of Premium Steel and Mines Limited, Anand Badjatya, said the company would save the nation more than a million tonn of steel in import and conserve about $600 million in foreign exchange when operated at full capacity. Premium Steel was formerly called Delta Steel Company before it was privatised.