By Ismail Shuaib
ABUJA: A concerned citizen, Mr. Ogawahab Aliu, has petitioned the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, and the Managing Director of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited ASCL, Prof. Nasir Naeem Abdulsalam, over what he described as the unlawful dismissal of more than a dozen staff of the company without due process.
In an open letter addressed to the minister and copied to key stakeholders including Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, his predecessor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and traditional rulers across Kogi State, Aliu alleged that the sack of 13 employees violated extant civil service rules and undermined the federal government’s ongoing reform drive.
According to him, the dismissals were carried out “without the knowledge or approval of the Honourable Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, and the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu.”
Aliu, who wrote on behalf of concerned citizens of Kogi State, comprising the Ebira, Igala and Okun ethnic groups, called on the minister to urgently investigate and reverse the alleged illegal terminations, warning that such actions “plunge innocent families into hardship and uncertainty.”
“Instead of following due process such as issuing queries, warnings or suspensions, the management summarily removed staff without fair hearing.
“In one shocking case, a junior officer signed the termination letter of a senior officer, a gross breach of protocol and violation of the Federal Public Service Rules”, he alleged.
Aliu noted that the actions contravened the 2008 Federal Public Service Rules, particularly sections 030102, 030202, and 030203, which stipulate that only the Federal Civil Service Commission FCSC is empowered to discipline or dismiss officers and that such decisions must follow a defined process of warnings and formal reporting.
Aliu also decried the continued retention of retired contract staff in senior roles within the steel company, accusing them of exercising undue authority over serving officers.
“Level 17 officers go to work on motorcycles while retired contract staff drive official Prado Jeeps and Hilux trucks,” he lamented, describing the situation as “a mockery of fairness and civil service ethics.”
He further argued that the development, if left unchecked, could undermine public confidence in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, both of whom, he said, had championed fairness, job creation, and institutional reform.
“These unlawful dismissals undermine the credibility of the Tinubu administration’s reforms and frustrate Governor Ododo’s employment vision for Kogi State.
“They also portray Ajaokuta Steel Company as a lawless institution operating outside government supervision, an embarrassment to the reform agenda”, he said.
Aliu, therefore, urged the minister to investigate the matter and ensure immediate reinstatement of the affected staff pending a full review. He also appealed for the replacement of retired contract officers who have allegedly overstayed their tenure in service.
He called on key Kogi stakeholders, including Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, House of Representatives member Hon. Sanni Egidi Abdulraheem, and traditional rulers – the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, HRM Alhaji (Dr.) Ahmed Tijani Muhammed Anaje; the Attah of Igala, HRM Matthew Opaluwa Oguche Akpa II; and the Obaro of Kabba, HRM Oba (Dr.) Michael Olusegun Ajayi – to intervene in defense of their subjects working at the steel Clcompany.
“Leadership is a divine trust,” Aliu wrote. “Every decision taken today will form part of your legacy – one that future generations will either celebrate or question. Let fairness prevail and let due process guide your leadership.”
The open letter, titled “Justice for Ajaokuta Staff”, has sparked renewed conversations about governance, transparency, and workers’ rights within one of Nigeria’s most strategic industrial assets.
