ALSCON APPOINTS NEW ACTING MANAGING DIRECTOR, OTHERS

 

RUSAL, operator of Nigeria’s multi-billion Dollars aluminum plant at Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State has announced its new management yesterday.

 

 

They are Engr. Ime Inyang, formerly Technical Director, is now appointed Acting Managing Director of the company.

 

Engr. Inyang, a graduate of Oil & Gas from the Russian State University, Moscow in 2001 joined United Company RUSAL-ALSCON, as Mechanical Supervisor (Central Maintenance Department) in April 2007 and was later appointed Acting Director of Technical Directorate in September 2007 and Director of Technical Directorate in February 2008.

 

He played a pivotal role in the resuscitation and preparing the 8-year long mothballed smelter for restart of production in ALSCON when RUSAL took over its management in 2008, and was also responsible for the overall maintenance of facilities at the smelter throughout the period.

 

 

Others who also got new appointments are; Dr. Ikpa Etukafia, Acting Director, Human Resources, Elder E. A. Amba, Acting Director, Finance and Mr. Ata Udom, Acting Director, Commercial while Barr. Ibrahim Magaji, Company Secretary/legal Adviser now heads the Legal Unit.

 

A statement issued by the company headquarters in Moscow and signed by Anastasia Voronkova which was made available to Daily Champion in Uyo via On Line on Thursday said, the new appointment at ALSCON took immediate effect while Engr. Ekpenyong Antigha, Director, Energy and Utilities; Engr. Charles Anyaefuna, Director, Cast House, Engr. Uyime Udofot, Director, Reduction Plant, Mr. Alexy Kuksin, Director, Resources Protection and Pastor Uduak Obot, Director, Quality, Health, Safety  as well as Environment maintain their positions.

 

Meanwhile, contract termination of a number of senior managers and long-term business trips of current plant managers were being considered due to operational needs.

 

 

It would be recalled that, owing to some challenges facing the company in recent times, its Board of Directors temporarily suspended smelting operations at the plant in March last year.

 

These challenges were; non-availability of uninterruptible gas supply resulting in high operational losses; lack of physical infrastructure for transmission of gas/ power; high operational cost, legal uncertainty surrounding the smelter and bureaucratic bottlenecks as well as continuous global recession of aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange though management of ALSCON is working with the Federal Government of Nigeria on quick solution of these issues with the view to restart smelting operations.

 

As Acting Managing Director, Engr. Inyang will report directly to UC RUSAL’s global head office in Moscow, Russia, while it is hope that the company would break new ground as well as expand partnership with the host communities and stake-holders.