Ajaokuta Steel Company to begin production before 2015 – REPROM
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The Ajaokuta Steel Company in Kogi State is set to begin production before the end of the year following the arrival of the billets for the Light Section Mill (LSM).
The Managing Director of REPROM; Engineer Attah Achimugu who are the Technical partner of Ajaokuta steel plant disclosed this at the weekend while receiving the first batch of over 100 billets at the steel complex.
“One of the major items we have been waiting for to enable us light the blast furnace is the billets which have started arriving into the company. We will continue to stockpiled the billets until we have appreciable quantity of 5000 before we can join hands with the management of Ajaokuta Steel Complex to light the furnace to commence commercial production very soon. We are sourcing for the billets locally and internationally through our partnership with Greener Nations Foreign Economic Corporation,” he said.
“The journey of the production of iron rods at the LSM section of the rolling mill started in March 2013 with the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the management of the steel plant and REPROM. Part of the MOU was to also rehabilitate Thermal Power Plant and the Light Section Mill to enable the two segment of the company commence commercial operation.
He said the management of the Steel plant and REPROM are working together to ensure the realization of transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan in the area of steel development.
Also speaking, the Sole Administrator of the steel complex, Engr. Isah Joseph Osobere said, the arrival of the billets will paved way for trial production before the commencement of commercial production.
Osobere who was represented by the company’s Deputy General Manager in charge of material management, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi, said Reprom has fulfilled the MOU signed with the steel company, urging the staff of the steel complex to brace up for full operation.
Osobere however commended the minister of steel, mineral development, Alhaji Musa Sada for supporting the company to come back to operation.
Earlier, the Deputy General Manager, Light Section Mill of the steel plant, Engr. John Bello said all the machines in the LSM were in order and ready to commence trial production.
According to him, the REPROM will fund the Production activities in line with the MOU, adding that the LSM has the capacity to produce 405,000 metric tons of assorted finished products annually.
