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Group cautions FG over acclaimed $1.5bn steel plant investment in Kaduna

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President Muhammadu Buhari

 

The federal government has been advised to embark on thorough verification of data of investment of foreign investors in the country to further ascertain the investment status of foreigners for proper planning.

 

This is contained a statement issued on Monday by a Kaduna based Non-Governmental Organization, Arewa Progressive Alliance, (APA), National Coordinator, Tijani Ahmad Girei, stressing that a news making the round about a $1.5bn steel plant that is nearing completion in Kaduna State owned by African Industries Group under the African Natural Resources and Mines group is mischievous and misleading.

2023: Kano Group Raises Alarm Over Clandestine Media Attacks On Prominent Indigene, Waya.

The report which was published in one of the leading national daily with the tittle: “Govt expecting one million MT steel from $1.5bn plant – Minister” is questionable and condemnable owing to the fact that previous publications clearly explained the true status of the investments of the firm in Kaduna State.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, at the weekend embarked on inspection tour of the company saying that the facility would produce one million metric tonnes of steel annually and would help put an end to the importation of the commodity into Nigeria.

It is pertinent to set the record straight in order to avoid misinterpretation and misrepresentation of the actual investments in the state for the sake of posterity and avoid marginalization of our youths especially in the areas of job opportunities as well as revenue allocation from the federal government in future.

It would be recalled that the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission had in its January 4, 2020 report quoted the Managing Director of African Industries Group of Companies, Mr. Alok Gupta, to have said: “the company’s $600 million Integrated Steel Plant will be Nigeria’s biggest non-oil foreign direct investment, FDI.”

The statement added that, “Surprisingly, the misleading report put the investments at $ 1.5bn from its original status of $600m. It is important to state that the project has been conceived into three phases with attention on phases one and two at the moment with design capacity of less than one million metric tonnes.

“In fact, while the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak paralyzed economic activities coupled with other global challenges, the company could not meet up its planned for June 2020 as the completion date for the first phase but now looks for mid or third quarter of 2021 to complete it.

“If that is the case, how is $1.5bn related to the original figure of investment estimate of $600m published in January of the same year. Who is fooling who? Let the Federal government embark on due diligence and work with the Kaduna State government in getting the correct data of work-plans of African Industries Group in order not to be misled or misguided in its action plans and policies.”

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Breaking: Court Drops Charges Against Minors

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The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday struck out the charges brought against a total of 119 #EndBadGovernance protesters.

All 119 protesters were arraigned on Friday, November 1 on charges bordering on Treason felony, inciting to mutiny, among others.

The defendants were arraigned in two batches at the previous proceeding.

The first batch comprised a total of 76 protesters which included 32 minors and the second batch a total of 43 protesters.

The trial judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, struck out the suit following an application by the counsel to the Attorney General of the Federation, M. D Abubakar, to take over and discontinue the matter.

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NNPP Crisis: Assembly Members Deny Factional Differences

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By Salisu Baso

As the crisis erupted within Kano’s ruling party NNPP, with some members calling for the governor to stand independently, the Kano State House of Assembly has denied knowledge of any of its members being involved in the rifts.

The Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Lawan Hussain, representing Dala Constituency, revealed this to newsmen in an interview with journalists over the publication of an online newspaper, Daily Nigeria, stating that some members of the NNPP in the House have joined the factional crisis.

He described the news as a fabricated and mischievous story from unpatriotic elements planning to destroy the peace reigning within the party. He said that as far as the members of the House are concerned, there are no conflicts between the governor and the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

The Majority Leader therefore assured the party parliament members of their solid support for the leader of the Kwankwasiyya and state governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, adding that the governor considers Senator Kwankwaso his mentor.

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On the issue of some party members calling for the governor to be independent (Tsaya da Kafar Ka), Hon. Dala said the governor is operating independently without interference from any person. He therefore accused some opposition politicians from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, of sponsoring unpatriotic people to ignite a crisis in the state with a view to disrupting the government’s development initiatives.

 

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Breaking: Tinubu Orders Release of Minors Arrested Over Endbadgovernance Protest

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President Bola Ahmad Tinubu

President Tinubu Orders release of all minors who participated in the Endbadgovernance protest .

 

The minister of information and national orientation Muhammad Idris stated this to state House correspondents.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents, on Monday.

The Minister was flanked by the Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy; Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Public Communications and orientation.

Idris stated that the President has instructed the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to begin the process of securing the minors’ release without delay.

“The President has directed that all minors be released on the and also reunited with their families anywhere they are in the country. A committee has been set up to look at the issues surrounding their arrest, detention and release. All the law enforcement agents related to the case will be investigated and anyone found wanting will be brought to book,” he said.

 

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