Lokoja — The sole administrator of Ajaokuta Steel Company, Engineer Joseph Isah has said that the Ajaokuta steel plant is not obsolete as reported in some sections of the media.

Isah during a press conference at the weekend said that the Blast Furnace mode of steel production adopted by the company was the best source of steel making all over the world till date.

He said over 74 percent of the total steel production in the world was done through the Blast Furnace, saying that a technology that produces 74 percent of the world steel production cannot be obsolete.

He said the steel plant's equipment and facilities are in good condition and ready for use, saying that with the volumes and quality of steel to be produced in the plant, the only sure way to achieve that was the Blast Furnace.

Engineer Isah said the recent technical audit of the plant by the Ukrainians has shown that the steel plant was in good condition and ready for operation if the necessary funds are made available.

"I made reference to the above technical audit because we need to educate Nigerians that the Blast Furnace Technology of steel making adopted in Ajaokuta is still the best method through which large volumes of steel are produced in the world today," he said.

He said when the plant becomes fully operational, it could generate over 15,000 direct employments and about 500,000 indirect employments.