Calls For Investigation: Ohanaeze Youths Seek Clarity On Ajaokuta Steel Employment And Compensation

Calls For Investigation: Ohanaeze Youths Seek Clarity On Ajaokuta Steel Employment And Compensation

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, the leading Igbo socio-cultural organization, has called for a comprehensive investigation into the employment practices and salary structure at Ajaokuta Steel Company…….CONTINUE READING 

In a statement released on Friday and signed by its national president, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the group expressed concerns about the conditions at the federal government-owned facility.

Okwu alleged that recent inquiries revealed significant issues with the company’s recruitment process. “In our ongoing effort to expose economic sabotage and high-level corruption at Ajaokuta Steel Company, we scrutinized the company’s employment practices. Our findings were alarming: staff members are not receiving the salaries specified in their appointment letters,” he said.

For instance, a staff member recruited as “Graduate Manpower” is supposed to receive a monthly salary of N100,000 but is instead paid only N18,000, creating a shortfall of N82,000. Another staff member, also hired as “Graduate Manpower” on a GL 8/4 salary basis, similarly receives only N18,000 per month.

The group highlighted that these issues are just a fraction of the broader problems at Ajaokuta Steel. They questioned why a third party is involved in staff employment and salary payments and called for immediate action. “Who is exploiting vulnerable Nigerians through these fraudulent practices? We demand that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) investigate the recruitment and salary processes at Ajaokuta Steel,” Okwu urged.

He also stressed that the EFCC and ICPC should examine appointment letters and compare them with monthly salary payments as shown in staff statements of accounts.

The youth leader reaffirmed the group’s commitment to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and emphasized that they will not tolerate any threats to youth interests. “The youth are disproportionately affected by employment issues, and we will not rest until those responsible for these injustices are held accountable,” he said.

Additionally, the group demanded full transparency regarding the company’s partnership agreements, criticizing opaque deals like the Mambilla Hydropower project. “Nigerians deserve to see the agreements being signed. The deal for Ajaokuta Steel should be directly between the Federal Government and the consortium, without any intermediaries,” they asserted.