The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has taken its investigation into the financial records of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) to the London office of the authority.
The Public Accounts Committee is investigating non-remittances of accruing revenue to the Federation Account by the NPA as well as other queries from the Office of the Auditor General for the Federation (OAuGF).
While in London, members of the committee will also investigate activities of the Nigerian High Commission, as contained in the audit queries from the AuGF.
The Nation learnt that members of the committee, led by its chairman, Wole Oke, and his deputy, Abdullahi Sa’ad Abdulkadir, left the country for London in two batches between Wednesday, August 17 and Thursday, August 18.
While in London, members of the committee are expected to visit some property belonging to the NPA as well as probe other dealings by the authority.
The property to be visited are: 23 Manor House Drive, NW6 7DE, said to be serving as management guest house; 1A Temple Road, NW2 6PJ, Second Floor serving as NPA office in the United Kingdom (UK); 49 Peter Avenue, NW10 2DD, said to be occupied by NPA workers; 18 Rowdon Avenue, NW10 2AJ, also occupied by NPA workers; 302 Dollis Hill Lane, NW2 6HH, also occupied by NPA workers; 61 Dollis Hill Avenue, NW2 6QU, also occupied by NPA workers; as well as 1 Temple Road, Second Flat, NW2 6PJ; 76 Strode Road, Second Flat, NW10 2NH; 1A Temple Road, NW2 6PJ, Third Floor; and 76 Strode Road, First Flat, NW10 2NH, occupied by a tenant, believed to be under litigation.
Other property include 67 Dollis Hill Avenue, NW2 6QU; 1 Temple Road, First Flat, NW2 6PJ; 1A Temple Road, NW2 6PJ, Ground Floor; and 1A Temple Road, NW2 6PJ, First Floor, all said to be vacant.
The AuGF had, in his 2019 Report submitted to the National Assembly, alleged, among other issues, that the NPA paid £17,000.00 for the issuance of Corporate Card by a bank in the UK to be managed by the GM-overseas Representative, but remained unretired as at the time of the audit in November 2018.
The AuGF also said in his report that “audit observed from the records relevant to the income and expenditure of NPA London office that Sea View Properties, UK Limited is a special purpose organisation established to manage NPA properties in the UK even though NPA London office oversees the affair of the company.