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……Says he’s incompetent,highhanded, a launch pad for failure

A group, Nigeria Good Governance Research Centre (NGGRC), led by its executice director and prominent social critic, Comrade Igbotako Nowinta, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to drop the Minister for Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu.

The call becomes expedient as the President prepares to reshuffle his cabinet.

Industry watchers among others slam the young Audu over his alleged incompetence and high handedness.

According to Comrade Nowinta, who doubles as an international conflict resolution expert, in a press release titled, “Audu: A Danger In The Ministry for Steel Development”, made available to the media in Abuja , Sunday October 6th, 2024, the group stated that ,Audu is a “clear minus to the so- called President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda and a danger in the Ministry for Steel Development, as a result of his abuse of office, glaring incompetence, high-handedness and wastages of public funds”.

The Press release reads in details below:

“The attention of NGGRC was drawn to certain alleged negative activities going on within the Ministry for Steel Development, under the watch of Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, which prompted an investigation from our end.

Our investigation revealed the fact that Audu is not fit to stay a day longer as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

“We discovered that Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu is like a bull in a China’s shop in the Ministry for Steel Development; very lawless, an enemy of laid down statutory bureaucratic process and an extreme version of a triangle in a round peg”.

“This man is a launch pad for failure and a danger to the efforts of President Tinubu to revamp the Steel sector in Nigeria. For instance, the manner he is handling the Revitalisation, Privatisation and Completion of Ajaokuta Steel Company negates transparency , breach of BPP Act, and may put the country in another judicial quagmire, like the Global Steel Holding Ltd case where Nigeria was taken to court at the international level, and paid compensation in hard currency;

“Talking about impending litigation that will surely embarrass and ridicule our country again, Global Steel Holdings Limited, an Indian company, won the concession of the Ajaokuta steel mill for 10 years, but the agreement was revoked when the federal government accused the firm of asset stripping, a development that led to a court case between the two parties; Global which eventually was settled $496 million dollars by Federal Government.

What of his breach of Public Procurement Act in the choice of Proforce to recently sign an MOU in Russia; Why did he hastly chose the Russian outfit for the pre – auditing of Ajaokuta Steel Company as the job was recently advertised and lied to the National Assembly that Russians were in Ajaokuta on their own?”

“We hereby call for the investigation of the choice of Proforce as the Minister’s preference to sign the MOU, to avoid any pitfall or litigation process on Ajaokuta Steel Company like it happened in the past.

Audu is not a team player; he runs the Ministry in a solo manner without considering the input of the Minister of State who is more experienced in public service as a former deputy governor in Taraba, when Audu’s father was governor in Kogi state.
It will be recalled that Audu’s former SA media, Mr Haruna, aka Haruspice, who came on recommendation, after serving a former vice president was compelled to resign in December 2023.

Indeed, Audu rushed to sign the MOU without the perusal and consent of the Ministry of Justice and without consulting experts from Ministry of Finance to discuss the financial aspect.Its on record that he forced the pill down the Russians who stated categorically that it’s better for them to build a new steel plant close to a port than revamp Ajaokuta Steel company.His trip to Russia was baseless even as the Permanent Secretary was not a signatory nor, sighted the said MOU before signing”.

“Nigeria Good Governance Research Centre is ready soonest to submit petitions to the EFCC and relevant committee in the National Assembly with shocking proofs of Minister Audu’s glaring disregards for the legislature,incompetence, as well lead a protest in Lokoja and Abuja.

“This man was found of bullying the former Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mary Ogbe, who is now with the Ministry of Solid Minerals; he never takes professional advise on how to run the Ministry, especially on financial matters. This ugly development is causing setback for the smooth running of the Ministry”.

“Audu only got his appointment on the goodwill of his late father as a political associate of President Tinubu, therefore, Mr. President must put the interest of Nigerians first, by dropping him as Minister as he is not leaving up to expectations,even as he has become a danger magnified by his hideous embrace of policies of self preservation instead of national interests”.

“With billions of dollars being pumped daily into the Ministry of Steel, it is not sensible for it to be left in the hands of a man whose character is incubated in administrative vendetta, self interest and irresponsibility. For the Steel Ministry to move forward it needs a goal getter who will provide the culture of accountability, transparency, honesty, firm objective, sincerity of purpose and concrete paradigm for constructive engagements with stakeholders”.

“This Minister is a clear minus to the so called President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda and a danger in the Ministry for Steel Development, as a result of his abuse of office, glaring incompetence, high-handedness and wastages of public funds.Audu disobeyed the Presidential Order on Board dissolution on the National Steel Council (NSC), until the National Assembly intervened”.Records available also shows the fact finding committee constituted by Prince Audu requested for ₦10m from the dissolved Council.

“The experience needed for a newly created technical ministry, such as the Steel, requires a knowledgeable and experienced person to man, not an inept like Audu who had no technical knowledge nor public service experience. A deeper insight in his administrative lapses in the Ministry of Steel is mind boggling, as he has not been able to improve on the existing structures in the defunct Ministry of Mines and Steel not to talk of bringing new ideas”.

“Therefore, as Mr. President considers a cabinet reshuffle, this is the time to drop a man with a voracious appetite for impunity, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu as Minister for Steel Development”.