Senator Sadiku Abubakar Ohere (APC Kogi Central) has indicated that the completion of Ajaokuta Steel Project will be a ready-made solution to the menace of building collapse in Nigeria.
Ohere who stated this at an interactive session with journalists covering the Senate on Thursday said the completion of the steel project, would make available to builders, quality and affordable iron and steel for all categories of buildings.
He pointed out that the problem of building collapse in Nigeria arose from high cost of quality materials, which has pushed many of the builders to resorted to cutting corners with attendant tragedy of collapse of structures.
He added that the steel project would also serve as catalyst for industrialisation of the country if completed and made to operate optimally .
” Ajaokuta Steel Project needs federal attention, and i believe that before President Bola Tinubu clocks 100 days in office , he will give the required attention for its completion .
” Already , 38 out of the 46 production units of the project have been completed , remaining just eight units .
” It is a worthy project that will facilitate development of the country across the various sectors and most importantly , serve as panacea for the incessant problem of building collapse in the country through production of quality and affordable iron and steel builders and construction firms .
“Completion of Ajaokuta will also facilitate industrialisation of the country as well as solved the problem of epileptic power supply with electricity generation from its already completed Thermal Plant “, he said .
In making completion of the steel project , a reality , the Senator disclosed that legislation that would make the executive intensify efforts on it , is already in the pipeline .
He also called on President Tinubu to revisit the dredging of Rivers Niger and Benue, started by the late President Umoru Musa Yar’ Adua in 2008 but later abandoned
Dredging of the two rivers, he explained, will help to stop the problem of flooding, which is turning Lokoja , the capital of Kogi State , as its headquarters.