On Friday, March 02, 2018 Deltans witnessed the commissioning of Premium Steel Rolling Mill, exactly 36 years after Delta Steel Company was commissioned In Ovwian-Aladja.

The multi-billion dollar Premium Steel Rolling Mill was commissioned by Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa to commence full operations after years of inactivity of the erstwhile moribund Delta Steel Company (DSC) Plc, Ovwian- Aladja, originally commissioned in 1982.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of Premium Steel Rolling Mill, Mr Prasnata Mishra, “The company’s one million ton liquid steel capacity plant responsible for reinforcing Nigeria with steel and allied products, is targeting at least 5,000 jobs directly and indirectly, and expected to touch the lives of over 30, 000 Nigerians in the first instance before calculating the secondary opportunities it creates.”

After the acquisition of the steel company with its plants in total shamble and deplorable shape, the new owners Premium Steel retooled it with state-of-the-art equipment for competitive production.

Governor Okowa, while commissioning the Premium Steel Rolling Mill on Friday, March 02, 2018 said: “This is the right step if we must develop in Nigeria, as a nation, we must encourage development of infrastructure. It is sad that this place was abandoned for years because, there is no doubt that if we must grow technologically, we must produce our own steel.”

The Governor however disclosed that the management of Premium Rolling Mill would harness the huge oil and gas deposit in the area to also, establish a petrochemical company in the area.

He commended the Federal Government, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria and other stakeholders for the different roles they played for the company to be back on stream asserting, “obviously, there is a lot to be gained as a people and government, we will remain peaceful and the company should take note of local content in their activities.”

Minister of Mines and Steel, Mr Kayode Fayemi and the Managing Director of AMCON, Mr Ahmed Kuru who spoke through Mr Okoronkwo Onwukwe lauded the roles played by the state government for the steel company to be back to life.

“We sincerely thank Delta State government ably led by Dr Okowa for all his supportive roles, without which, we would not have been here for this commissioning; we must do everything under our power to protect this industry,” Mr Kuru said.