Ajaokuta Steel, Iron Ore coy concession plan’ll affect workers’ welfare – Association

The Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN) has expressed concerns over plans by the Federal Government to concession the Ajaokuta Steel and National Iron Ore Mining Companies in Kogi.

It said it was concerned on the effect the plan would have on workers’ welfare.

Its National President, Mr Kolawole Mustapha, and General Secretary, Mr John Odigie, raised the concerns in a statement on Monday.

The association expressed worry that the plan did not include relevant stakeholders meeting and carrying out due diligence on the companies either by the ministry or the would be investors.

“ISSSAN’s major concern is the welfare of workers or steel sector employees and how the outcome of the concession process will affect their welfare.

“This is especially in this instance where there is no workers’ voice in the process, as the saying goes ‘he who wears the shoe, knows where it pinches’.

“ISSSAN, therefore, finds absolutely unacceptable its non-inclusion in the process, as this puts the workers in the dark as to the protection of their livelihood in the build-up to concluding the process, “ the association said.

It, therefore, urged the government to ease the concerns of ISSSAN and its members by making the concession process all-inclusive and inviting stakeholders and relevant representatives of the union to be concerned participants.

The association said that, if short of that, the process would be flawed and viewed as a deliberate design to excise ‘stakeholders’ issues and ISSSAN’ from the process and ignore steel sector employees’ interest.

“On this note, ISSSAN wishes to categorically state that it will not sit idly by while the interests of its members are being wilfully trampled and ignored by those who should know better, “ the association said.