Newsfront Online …Telling the Public as it is
The House of Representatives on Tuesday invited the Minister of Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola and his counterpart in the Transport ministry, Saidu Alkali over alleged fraudulent concession of critical port infrastructure.
Also invited are the Managing Director of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), Mohammed Bello Koko; and Director General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Micheal Ohiani, among others.
The Chairman, House Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, Hon. Ibrahim Hamisu (APC, Kaduna), issued the summon while speaking at a meeting with the seaport terminal operators.
He lamented the absence of heads of key sectors such as the ministers of Transport and Blue Economy and the MD of Nigeria Ports Authority owing to the role they played in the concessions of the seaport terminals. Members of the Committee also frowned at the shady manner in which they alleged the concession process was handled.
The committee noted that the Federal Government has suffered huge revenue losses due to five consistent years within which five companies have been operating at the seaport terminals without concession renewal. “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 MDA’s (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,” the chairman said.
Briefing journalists on the matter, Hamisu further explained that there was need to find out why the companies were still operating without renewal of the concession. Hamisu said the 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, 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 one week period within which the Minister of Blue Economy, MD NPA, BPP and ICRC should appear before this committee on 12th of March by 10 am, 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,” the chairman added.
He listed the affected seaport terminals as Port and Cargo Terminal, ENL Consortium Terminal C, ENL Consortium Terminal D, Josepdam Terminal and AMS Terminal. The chairman insisted that the ministers and heads of the concerned agencies must appear before it next week Tuesday unfailingly.
(LEADERSHIP)
