Akwa Ibom Assembly accuses RUSAL of destroying assets of ALSCON

The Akwa Ibom House of Assembly on Friday condemned the alleged destruction of Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of the state by UC RUSAL, the Russian firm currently in charge of the management of the company.

The lawmakers made the criticism at a plenary session, following a motion on a matter of urgent public importance moved by Assemblyman Aboh Uduyok, member representing Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo Constituency.

Mr. Uduyok accused RUSAL of systematically destroying all the assets of ALSCON, which ought to have been a veritable tool of job creation for the youths of the state.

He alleged that RUSAL had sold the vital components of ALSCON's machineries, including stem rods, anodes and Bussbarr/Riser, used in the manufacturing of steel ingots.

After a thorough debate on the issues raised, the House resolved that Gov. Godswill Akpabio should intervene and make urgent efforts to salvage the company from total destruction.

The House also resolved that the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) should take over the plant and secure its assets.

It also directed that copies of the resolution should be forwarded to President Goodluck Jonathan and members of the National Assembly from Akwa Ibom.

The Speaker, Samuel Ikon, directed the House Committee on Commerce and Industry to carry out an in-depth investigation into the matter and report its findings soon.

Workers of the company and a youth group from Ikot Abasi community, were the first to accuse the Russian firm of stripping the plant of core components with the aim of totally crippling its operations.

"It is clear that the systematic cannibalisation of the plant facilities is not in the best interest of the plant, particularly in terms of the long term profile. We trust that you will see the issues raised above as of grave concern to the Ikot Abasi Community, who proudly acknowledge ALSCON as their inheritance, and cooperate with us in order to sustain the mutually cordial relationship, which has existed between ALSCON and Ikot Abasi Community."

BFIGroup, the Nigerian-American consortium that emerged the preferred bidder for ALSCON in 2004, but was disqualified in controversial circumstances by the BPE, had also claimed in September that it traced a steel oil tank belonging to the plant to the neighbouring Ibom Power Company (IPC).

But a spokesman for UC RUSAL, Tatiyana Smirnova, in a response to PREMIUM TIMES enquiries on the allegation, dismissed the report, saying: "The information is false and does not correspond to reality."