The first meeting of the National Planning Committee for the November 25th National Conference on Ajaokuta Project has held on Thursday last week.
The meeting which was held virtually through Google Meet brought together members from across the country to review the progress so far since inauguration and to strategize on the next line of activities.
Engr. Mohammed Lawal chaired the meeting which had in attendance Dr. Lanre Adebayo, co-Chair, Otunba Dele Ajayi-Smith of African Citizens Development Foundation, Lagos, Hajia Medina Dauda Nadabo of Voice of America and Mohammed Bougei Attah, the Secretary to the Committee. Others include Mr. Biebele Arimie from the University of Port Harcourt, Danlami Nmodu, publisher of Newsdiary Online and Wale Abeydeen of Security Monitor.
The meeting which reviewed reports from the CSO Coalition for Ajaokuta Steel Revival on the main thrust of the conference and the primary agenda of sustaining the advocacy for the revival of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited to full operations.
Members discussed further on the proposed State Level Stakeholders Roundtable scheduled for October in Lokoja, a prelude to the national conference, the list and mode of invitees the two-part events as well as modalities for fundraising, resource faculty and others.
Already, the Conference it was reported had a boost already with the granting of audience to a team on Courtesy Visit to the Honourable Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation. Next is scheduled meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in October, the Honourable Minister of Mines and Steel Development and the Governor of Kogi State. Others include the Chief of Staff to the President and the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, NEITI in Abuja.