The Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Mine, Steel Development and Metallurgy has frowned at the abandonment of the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel project. by the federal government.

The committee said the President Buhari led administration talked much about economic diversification, but allocated lean fund to the solid mineral sector annually. 

The Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah, had told the committee during budget defence that out of the ministry’s N23.4bn budgetary allocation in 2022, N10bn is for personnel cost; N1.47bn for overhead cost and N11bn for capital projects. 

Angered by the submission, members of the committee decried the meagre budgetary allocation to the sector, which they said, should rank second after the oil and gas.