In what seems to be an unending debate and resolution at the nation’s National Assembly, the Nigerian Senate has urged the Federal Government to immediately get the Ajaokuta Steel Company working, as well as rehabilitate the trail line and waterways around the moribund company.

The upper legislative chamber, in its Thursday’s plenary session, resolved to direct the Committee on Power and Steel Development to undertake a holistic assessment of why the Ajaokuta Steel complex is not working perfectly. Senator Dino Melaye, Kogi West, who sponsored the bill, while speaking on quantum of investments and potentials of the Ajaokuta Steel Complex, quipped that “the ailing Ajaokuta company is a threat to Nigeria’s industrial growth.”

In his remarks after the presentation of the bill, Senate President Bukola Saraki, noted that the steel complex is important; so also the Katsina, Osogbo and Jos Steel Rolling Mills, even as he stressed the importance of their resuscitation. He commended Senator Melaye for sponsoring the bill, lamenting that after forty years, the complex which has encountered many years of neglect has not been revamped.

In another development Senator Melaye, while speaking with some journalists in the National Assembly, alleged that he has received some threat messages from unknown persons, over the recovery of over N8 billion from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) fraud.

He said: “I am happy I'm vindicated and will never allow blackmail, lies and deceit to stop my drive in the war against corruption. The fact that the governor of CBN and AGF of the federation claimed that there is no payment of 1 per cent to System Specs corroborates my position that it is legal, and I stand against the corruption act.”

•Photo shows the Senate in session.

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