In pursuance of its resolve to facilitate the return of the Delta Steel Company, Ovwian-Aladja to its glorious days, the Urhobo Political Congress (UPC) has concluded plans hold a summit to draw the Federal Government’s attention to the need to revive the ailing company. This is just as a DSC Resuscitation Committee has been has put in place by the group to look at other strategies aside the proposed summit on the way forward towards the revival of the company At the helm of the committee is the National Chairman of the UPC, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, and Barr Edewor Omonemu as Secretary. Other members of the committee include Elegbete Moses Odibo, Hon Barr Evelyn Oboro, Chief Judith Enamuotor, Chief Hon Felix Anira, Prince George Ugen, while Chief Mike Adiotomre and Chief Tom Amioku will serve as Advisers. The Committee was mandated to get across to the Senator representing Delta central and members of the Federal House of Representatives from Delta Central on the ways to draw the attention of the Federal Government to the plight of DSC and get the plant fully resuscitated. The proposed summit, it was gathered, was part of the steps earmarked by the group at its meeting in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area on Sunday January 19, 2014 to press for the revitalization of the steel plant. The summit which is likely to be held in Abuja, is to bring together, all stakeholders in the steel company to brainstorm and deliberate on the way forward for the plant, particularly to holistically tell the DSC story, look at the sales of the company, the intrigues involved and its economic viability. It will also look at the present condition and prospects of the company, examine why the Federal Government must take it over as gateway to the economic revival of the Niger Delta beyond oil; look into a comparative analysis of the DSC and Ajaokuta Steel Plant as well as their relevance to the economic well being of Nigerians; examine alternative to Federal Government full take -over of the plant like identifying a competent indigenous firm that can take over from the Indians; and establish why the Federal Government must capture the resuscitation of DSC in its 2014 budget presently before the National Assembly. The Urhobo Vanguard learnt that key resource persons in the steel industry particularly those knowledgeable in the travails of DSC shall be invited to speak on topical issues germane to the resuscitation of DSC. Also, critical stakeholders in the steel sector, the host communities, traditional rulers across Delta State, top Government functionaries in Abuja and Asaba including the Governor of Delta State, Senate President, members of the National Assembly, Ministers and other government officials, the Urhobos, Isokos, Ijaws, Itsekiris, and Aniomas shall be well mobilised for the Summit. Commenting on the proposed summit, the National Chairman of UPC, and chairman of the DSC Resuscitation Committee, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, lamented the deplorable state of the company and said the UPC was out to identify and tackle the challenges confronting the Urhobo nation. According to him, “we meet to look at Urhobo and how to best place it on a sound footing to face the world. The story of DSC is a sad one. As you well know, all over the world, steel development is believed to be the fundamental bedrock of economic growth of nations. This is why many countries, including Third World nations have continued to do everything possible to ensure the sustenance of their steel sector. “Nigeria keyed into the global quest for steel development when the first integrated steel complex, the Delta Steel Company was established at Ovwian-Aladja, in the then Bendel State now Delta State by the administration of Alhaji Shehu Shagari. At inception, DSC provided over 6,000 direct jobs and well over 10,000 indirect jobs for Nigerians and expatriates. The multiplier effects of the then booming DSC on the economy of the host communities was unquantifiable’’. Decrying that DSC is presently on the throes of death, Omo-Agege noted that “while steel development has continued to accelerate economic growth in countries all over the world, the story of steel production in Nigeria is in the opposite direction. DSC today is comatose and the staff, many of whom have been laid off or prematurely retired, are in serious distress. “We cannot fold our arms and watch this huge asset rot away. The proposed summit is therefore targeted at awakening Nigerians and the Nigeria government to the harsh reality before DSC, its economic importance, and the need for stakeholders and government to rise to the occasion to do the needful so that DSC can come alive again’’. By Gordon Ohwo urhobovanguard/2014/01/28/upc-to-hold-dsc-resucitation-summit/
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 07:20:37 +0000
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