The Head of Mining, African Natural Resources and Mines, Partha Ghosh, has disclosed that the firm is battling insecurity in the construction of its $600m steel plant in Gujeni village, Kagarko local government area of Kaduna State.
He made this disclosure while addressing newsmen during a three-day Nigeria-Africa Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit, which was held in Abuja.
According to him, the firm had been doing business in Nigeria since 1971, and was the largest producer of steel in this country.
Ghosh, however, said that certain security measures were in place to withstand the security challenges facing the firm.
According to him, “Since we are operating in Kaduna, there are a lot of security challenges. There are issues with bandits, kidnapping and all that.
“We have our robust security system at the site. We have a three-layered security system – security guards, mobile police and soldiers -who are protecting lives and properties.
He added that the plant, which would, directly and indirectly, employ up to 4,000 Nigerians, was more than 95% ready and would be commissioned by the president later this year.
On the project, he said, “We are going to produce steel, and we are investing over $600m on the project”.
At the event, President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, said that Africa required a huge amount of energy generation to drive development.
Earlier, the Minister had said the summit would convene the African mining, finance, power, and energy, oil, and gas sectors to chart a way forward for the development of natural resources and energy projects in a sustainable and climate-friendly manner.
