National Telescope national telescope newspaper
The House of Representatives summoned the Ministers of Blue Economy, Gboyega Ayitola, and Transport, Saidu Alkali, on Tuesday over the alleged fraudulent concession of critical port infrastructure.
Also invited is the Managing Director (MD) of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello Koko, the Director General (CG) of the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), and the Director General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Micheal Ohiani, etc.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Privatization and Commercialization, Rep. Ibrahim Hamisu (APC, Kaduna), at a meeting with the seaport terminal operators, lamented the absence of heads of key sectors as the Ministers of Transport and Blue Economy and the MD of the Nigeria Ports Authority, hence the role they played in the concessions of the seaport terminals.
Subsequently, the majority of members of the Committee frowned at the shady manner in which the concession process was handled, which had let the five companies operating for five (5) years run without renewal, therefore leading to a huge loss of revenue for the federal government.
“We invited you to this meeting today to discuss how best to address this prolonged renewal process because of the need to attract investments into our critical port infrastructure, which is one of the major focuses of this administration.
“From the brief we received from affected parties and MDAs (Ministries, Departments, and Agencies) involved in the process, we understand that as of today, what is outstanding in concluding the process that started over 5 years ago is the execution of the negotiated Supplementary Agreements for the respective terminals.
“That is why we invited all stakeholders to see how we can work together to quickly address this concern in the mutual and national interest,” Rep. Hamisu noted.
Talking to journalists on the matter, Rep. Hamisu further said that there was a need to find out why the companies listed were still operating without proper renewal of the concession.
“Some seaport terminals were given out on concession, and five of them have expired. Some are from Lagos, and some are from Port Harcourt. They were trying to see that their approvals were renewed in 2021. Somewhere, this renewal was not granted to them, but they have been operating since then. So we deemed it fit to cross-check and find out what the problem is. So we decided to invite them and all the stakeholders, like the Ministry of Blue Economy, ICRC, BPP, and the Ministry of Transport. After inviting them here today, unfortunately, only the seaport terminal operators are here. So we have discussed with them and have given them a one-week period within which the Minister of Blue Economy, MD NPA, BPP, and ICRC should appear before this committee on March 12th by 10 a.m. So we discuss with them, we see where the problem is, and we take action so that we bring this lasting solution to the problem.
“They have been invited, but only one of them gave a reason for not coming because they are out of the country. But the rest did not give any reason for not coming.
“The names of the affected seaport terminals are Port and Cargo Terminal, ENL Consortium Terminal C, ENL Consortium Terminal D, Josepdam Terminal, and AMS Terminal. There are the five terminals whose concession period has expired, and they have been operating illegally from 2021 to date, and we want to investigate and see what the problem is, and whoever is in charge of this, we will deal with him,” he warned.
Ibrahim insisted that the Ministers of Blue Economy and Transport and others must appear before it next Tuesday, unfailingly.
“They must appear before the committee on March 12th. We also want to assure you that this committee will work very hard to make sure that this issue is over and to do that, you are to furnish the committee with all the relevant documents through the Secretariat by Friday.
“To this end, we would also go into details of all your financial activities from the expired date to today because, as one of the members said, maybe you are comfortable with what you have been paying, and that is why you are silent; otherwise, you should have been following it so the issue would come to an end.
“So when you are furnishing the Committee with relevant documents, you should give us all the details of payment done by your side to the government so we can see what transpired between the expired date and date.
“We want to assure you that we will work hard and work together with you to make sure that this prolonged issue is solved.”
(Vanguard)
