The Institute of Chartered Economists Of Nigeria (ICEN), Port Harcourt, has warned that closure of Alminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON), would cost Nigeria, a loss of 61,200 jobs if issues militating against the resuscitation of the plant is not resolved with urgency.
Mr. Friday Nathaniel Udoh, The chief Coordinator, South-South, Institute of Chartered Economists Of Nigeria (ICEN), Port Harcourt, has in a letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, urged him to sack Mr. Alex Okoh, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) over the lingering disagreement that borders on the privatisation of ALSCON, saying that the issues bother on fraud, and are impinging on the nation’s commonwealth, warning that “ a stitch in time saves nine”.
The letter partly reads that “With the inert desires and firm commitment of His Excellency toward improving economy and the well-being of Nigerians, that premised my conscientious conviction, and perhaps other Nigerians too, over the BPE direct or indirect action on the ALSCON ill-fated privatisation programme would have attracted correspondently and extant action of Mr. President given the magnitude and grave consequences of its position on the economy.
Even as, I consider Justice Anuli Chikere about 26 weeks delays on ruling over, Mr. Alex Okoh currently facing charges bothered on contempt of Court (Committal to Prison) as immaterial and inestimable, distinct- apart the ‘time and sequence needed for disposal of matter of this magnitude given the circumstances and the veracity of the matter.
“After a tortured and long journey to Implementation of Appellate court judgment which BPE of course, scuttles the process, the BFIG Group executed form 48 and 49 within April 10, 2019 and approaches the Federal High Court Nr. 4 Maitama, Abuja, court issued a formal notice directing the Director General and BPE to appear in court on May 13,2919 which he dishonoured following further adjournment for June 10,2019 which neither Alex Okoh nor the BPE lawyer were available for second time that precedes the third adjournment for July 3,2019, Still the DG could not show up, making the fourth adjournment.
“Mr. President what are we turning Nigeria to and, please does it means that we Nigerians are taking for a ride with this pretense?
Ostensibly to buttress the seriousness of the allegation, the economist said there is no gain condoling or overlooking the dastardly act of Mr. Okoh anymore, adding that he was not pleased just the way other Nigerians were not.
He said, “Similarly, commitment to constructive contributions; adopting same remains not only pro tanto justified but, also un-balance as it grows the indivisibly teeth toward a successful campaign for not only crafts and stealing, but recursive behaviour as attested to the insidious conduct of the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE) under the leadership of Mr. Alex Okoh, the incumbent Director General of the agency given his utterly disregards to extant rulings of the Appellate court in the country i. (a)the Supreme Court through its 6 July 2012 -No. SC 12/2008 judgment as upholds through the; (b) Appeal Courts, January 11, 2019 – No. CA/A/637/2014 judgment, which constitutes a law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but to contrary subverted by the BPE.
“That Dayson Holding Ltd /UC Rusal, a Russian state sponsored firm acquisition of ALSCON was shrouded in fraught, also the transfer of Strategic National Asset (Import Substitution Industry (ISI)) as declared by the Supreme Court judgment of 2012 remains illegal;
“Ineptitude to the ‘Rule of Law’ and desecration of judiciary power by insisting on the illegal occupation of DHL /UC Rusal occupation of the plant, against Article 2, 3 of the Supreme Court judgments of July 6, 2012.
“Thereby allowing the supposed owners unrestricted access to strip the plant-dismantling machines’, some equipment and spent anode (that supposedly for recycling for further production-and further use) stolen under the guess of scrap.”
“The arrant, tethering of the economy and utter defiance of the subsisting Supreme Court judgments and enforcement orders which have been confirmed and reaffirmed by the Court of Appeal on January 11, 2019 climaxed the non-implementation of the Appellate court judgment supposedly a surreptitious behaviour and manner sufficiently justifying an action within the confine of the law against Mr. Alex Okoh”.
He asserted that the spending-waste of public fund for appealing of the case, against DHL/UC Rusal; as a regulator would have constituted a ‘neutral’ or in a position of arbiter at specific moment is and a snap on Nigerians, and noted that the action and inaction of BPE had not only resulted in the country spending over $230.52million in importation of Aluminum product, even at the expense of tight monetary regime of the administration, yet the closure of the plant has not only deprived Nigerians of over 61,200 jobs positions, so far it has turned arable land to desertification due to ozone layer depletion-global warming by gas flaring “
He added that the purpose to which the plant was conceived have been defeated thereby depriving indigenous people everything including their natural habitation, again, organic of insurgency and conflicts have cost humans and material resources of the country, adding that BPE has fail to hold DHL/UC Rusal for the $120 million “Dredging Fund” deducted and treated as loan since 2007 from the supposedly $250million agreed bided purchase price accountable, including interest since the project never happens.
Okon also alleged that the Bureau’s Director-General has continued to remained dastardly defiant to subsisting Supreme Court judgments and the enforcement orders which have been confirmed and reaffirmed by the Court of Appeals on January 11, 2019.
Okon also noted that the BPE’s Director General has consistently defiled the extant order and the position of various judiciary dispositions, and especially the court Supreme Court Judgment of 2012 to take over the plant from whosoever at ensuring the security of the assets and property by illegally keeping the Dayson Holdings/UC Rusal personnel’s in the plant that have seen the plant nearing scrap occasioned by the nefarious activities of these estranges owner illegal occupation of the plant which accords them unrestricted opportunity to trade on all left over materials meant for production and equipment being dismembered and sell such as scrap, a deal assumed brokered at the instance of the BPE.
Okon, however, prayed that Mr. President should vacate Mr. Alex Akoh of his position as the BPE boss, saying that he should be made to face the law even as he is currently standing trial at the Federal High Court on mater that is bothered on the contempt of court, considered too slow against reasonableness of time in similar matter.
The post ALSCON’s Closure Risks Over 61,200 Jobs – Group appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.
Source: Independent
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