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Tag: NPA

  • Photo: NPA MD inspecting reconstruction of Apapa road

    Photo: NPA MD inspecting reconstruction of Apapa road

    The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority ( NPA) Ms Hadiza  Bala Usman on Saturday inspected the reconstruction of Apapa Road by Dangote Group.
    Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority ( NPA) Ms Hadiza Bala Usman inspecting the reconstruction of Apapa Road by Dangote Group and others today, Saturday, 23 September, 2017 . PHOTO: OLUWAKEMI DAUDA., MARITIME CORRESPONDENT.

  • NPA to boost safety, security at ports

    Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Managing Director Ms Hadiza Bala Usman has expressed concern over the safety and security of operations at the ports and on territorial waters.

    Speaking when the Federal Government’s team for the implementation of the Harmonised Standard Operating Procedure on the arrest, detention and prosecution of offenders in the maritime sector,  visited her at the NPA office on Marina, Lagos, Ms Usman, who was represented by the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mohammed Koko, pledged to work with the committee to address all issues in the industry.

    The committee Chairman, Rear Admiral F. D. Bobai, said the committee’s visit was part of efforts to synergise with stakeholders to ensure adequate understanding and cooperation to achieve a safe maritime harbour in line with best global practices.

    He said the committee would partner regional and sub-regional governments on safety and security.

    Bobai commended the NPA for the milestones it has achieved in various facets, urging the authority  not to rest on its oars as the task of lifting the nation is for all.

     

  • GMs moved as NPA gets new structure

    Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Chairman Emmanuel Adesoye has approved a new structure for the agency to enhance its efficiency.

    A Business Process Re-engineering (BPR), it was learnt, is also part of the new deal.

    General Manager (GM) were redeployed under the law structure  regime instead of 25, NPA now has 22 GMs.

    Its Principal Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Ibrahim Nasiru, said the review became imperative “because NPA’s structure has remained the same in spite of the 2006 concession which changed its  status from owner/operator to landlord.

    “This change in status brought about the concession of cargo handling operations to the private sector; outsourcing of dredging, towage services and vessel maintenance, use of contractors to build infrastructure.

    “Changes approved by the board include: the reduction in the number of General Managers from 25 to 22; the upgrade of the Hydrography and Dredging Department into a Division status to be headed by a General Manager in recognition of its strategic importance to the Authority;  the upgrade of the Information and Communications Technology Department  into a Division to take more responsibilities from a Department like Utilities; the creation of a new Monitoring and Regulations  Division; the merger of the Capital Projects and Maintenance Divisions into a single Engineering Division to eliminate redundancies; the scrapping of the Special Duties Division; scrapping of the zonal office structure such that departments in the ports will now report directly to the head office.”

    The former General Manager, Eastern Ports, Goje Abudulahi Aliyiu, is the new image maker of the NPA. Aliyiu is to take charge of the newly created Corporate and Strategic Communications (CSC) Division.

    Also affected is Capt. Ebubeogu Iheanacho, former General Manager, Monitoring and Compliance, Western Zone, now serves as General Manager in the Managing Director’s Office.

    Erstwhile General Manger, Special Duties, Mrs. Ugo Madubuike, is now in charge of Monitoring and Regulatory Services.

    Other changes are Abdulahi Buhari, General Manager, SERVICOM, is now in charge of Administration, while Mohammed Nasir Anas from Administration to Security.

    NPA’s Abuja Liaison office will be overseen by Kabir Edward Dauda, erstwhile General Manager, Monitoring and Compliance of the Eastern Zone. Peter Obinomen, General Manager, Capital Projects, is GM, Public Private Partnership (PPP), and Mohammed Ahmed Rufai, GM PP and D, is General Manager, Engineering.

    A statement from the Corporate and Strategic Communications Division also lists Mrs. Ufere Carolyn, GM, Superannuation, takes charge of SERVICOM, and Gbadamosi Rafiu Abiodun, GM, Operations, Western Ports, moves to Superannuation.

    In  a similar vein, the General Manger, Maintenance Engineering. Jatto Adeiza, is now in charge of Land and Asset Administration, while Onueyenwa Simeon Obumneme, General Manager, C and SP, is General Manager in charge of ICT.

    All handover formalities are expected to be completed by September  8.

  • NPA board approves new structure to enhance efficiency

    NPA board approves new structure to enhance efficiency

    The Board of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said on Saturday it has approved a new organisational structure to improve efficiency.

    The Principal Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications Department of NPA, Mr. Ibrahim Nasiru, said in a statement in Lagos that the management has also approved the redistribution of all the General Managers.

    The statement said: “The far-reaching initiatives which are aimed at making NPA a truly professional and performance-driven organisation, were approved at a board meeting in Lagos.

    “The management notes that this review has become important because NPA’s structure has remained the same in despite the 2006 concession, which changed the authority’s status from owner/operator to landlord.

    “This change in status brought about the concession of cargo handling operations to the private sector, outsourcing of dredging, towage services, vessel maintenance and use of contractors to build infrastructure.”

    According to him, the board also approved reduction in the number of general managers from 25 to 22 and upgraded the Hydrography and Dredging Department into a Division status to be headed by a General Manager.

    Nasiru said the board also approved the upgrade of the Information and Communications Technology Department into a Division to take more responsibilities from departments like Utilities and the Creation of a new Monitoring and Regulations Division.

    He said the board has approved the merger of the Capital Projects and Maintenance Divisions into a single Engineering Division to eliminate redundancy.

    NAN

     

  • NPA vs. Senate: Where Umar got it wrong

    Moral icons, whose words and conduct can scarcely be impeached, exist in every society. More often than not, any intervention they make is always done with a high sense of responsibility, always guided by the knowledge that any misplaced opinion could injure the innocent or imperil the group or society.

    I want to believe that our moral icons like Abubakar Umar are aware that their every speech, even body language, sends strong signals to the society whether in Nigeria or abroad. The people listen, trusting that their views would form that ethical barometer for gauging the moral health of the society.

    From available evidence, our own Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar did not apply the necessary caution before sending out his recent article, Watch It, Nigerian Senate in which he attacked the Joint Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariffs, and Marine Transport for purportedly arm-twisting the Nigeria Customs Service and the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala Usman. He claimed that the joint committee was frustrating the anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari. It was obvious that Umar’s target was the Senator from Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise Duties and Tariffs.

    As an experienced administrator, the highly respected soldier will admit that where the premise is wrong, the deductions are bound to be questionable if not flatly hopeless. Unfortunately, on many occasions, he was caught flat-footed in his article. Let us start with his claim that the chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff weighed in on the matter of Customs versus Masters Energy Commodities Trading Limited because he is also the chairman of the Masters Energy. That is “fake news”. The chairman of Masters Energy is Uche Ogar, one of Nigeria’s leading industrialists.

    Then he goes on to echo the allegation by the NPA management to the effect that the joint venture agreement between Messrs Niger Global Engineering & Technical Company Limited and Calabar Channel Company, CCM, did not follow the due process. But the bid invitation was advertised in The Guardian of September 21, 2014. Companies were screened and Niger Global won after the attorney general of the federation had vetted the contract and presidential approval received. The retired colonel claims along the same line as the NPA that the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, opposed the Calabar deal. That again, is not true as there is evidence that the BPP director general at the time, Engineer Emeka Ezeh indeed issued a certificate of no objection to the agreement. Also false is the claim that CCM/Niger Global was paid for work not done. Official records not only confirm that work was done but show that payments were made to entities with global renown in dredging activities.

    The most damning rebuttal of the claim that no work was done comes from within the NPA itself, that is, the report of an internal panel set up by Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman herself. Recommendations (iii) and (iv) of the panel, make nonsense of any allegation of fraudulent claims by Niger Global. Section (iii) states: “Having verified volumes dredged, all outstanding payments to CCML should be effected in line with the provisions of the JV Agreement” while Section (iv) states: “That in view of the subsisting Presidential approval for the JV, CCML be allowed to continue with the operations but at a reduced scale to be determined by the Authority’s need and CCML’s Board Technical and Finance Committees”.

    Between Umar and the NPA MD, somebody must be economical with the truth.  But before you jump to any conclusion, cognizance should be taken of the fact that documents that are already in the public domain show that, through the United Bank for Africa Plc, Niger Global had made some payments to its partners thus: Societe Dragage/Luxembourg SA ($3, 600, 000); Dredging International Services (Cyprus) ($1, 207, 440) and Nigerian Westminster Dredging & Marine Limited ($500, 000). These payments were made between August 21, 2015 and August 24, 2015.  Furthermore, the Nigerian Navy also confirmed that it had provided security services to the dredging company for Calabar Channel between 20 November 2014 and 15 January 2015

    It is shocking that in spite of the welter of evidence, Ms. Hadiza Usman and Col. Umar (rtd) want the world to believe that those payments were fictitious, that the NPA panel, headed by Professor Idris Abubakar, an executive director of NPA, should be ignored, that the Nigerian Navy lied; that all is just a conspiracy to remove this young woman who is doing an excellent job!

    It is indeed appalling that Umar could be hoodwinked into believing the fiction that Niger Global was incorporated in 2014, as a special purpose vehicle to corner the Calabar project and siphon public funds whereas Niger Global has been in operation since 1996, 15 solid years before Hope Uzodinma got to the Senate; it couldn’t have been incorporated to take advantage of his position as a senator.

    It is pertinent to ask: why has Umar singled out Senator Hope Uzodinma for blackmail in a situation where another senate committee, marine transport, is involved? Was it Hope Uzodinma who blew the whistle on the “missing” 282 vessels? Did he single-handedly script the petitions, and railroad the Senate into constituting a joint committee to achieve his selfish interests? What confers on him the capacity to micro-manage the entire Senate? Or do we accept conspiracy theories that the managing director of NPA was looking for a scapegoat to abort investigations into the “missing” vessels thereby causing the federal government huge revenue losses? Who, then, is undermining the fight against corruption?

    The claim that Senator Hope Uzodinma is victimizing the managing director of NPA is a gratuitous insult on a man who has placed the national interest above every consideration in his legislative activities. Perhaps Ms. Usman and Col. Umar (rtd.) should carry their campaign to Rev Jonathan Nicol, the president of the Shippers’ Association who, not long ago threw his weight behind the probe by the joint committee of the Senate. Admonishing the joint committee not to succumb to “cheap blackmail” Rev. Nicol disclosed that the practice whereby ship owners colluded with importers to evade customs duties had been on for some time and that his association’s effort to have audience with the MD of NPA on the matter had not yet succeeded.

    From the above, it is obvious that the claim of witch-hunting cannot be sustained. I regret to say that Col. Umar got it wrong this time around. As a public servant, the NPA chief executive should submit the activities of her agency to public scrutiny, a role that the legislature is constitutionally empowered to perform. She is already in the ring; she cannot hide. Let her explain to the Senate joint committee what she knows about the missing vessels. That does not and should not interfere with whatever she is doing about the Calabar Port. In fact, those of us from the South-south with particular reference to the old Cross River State will be overjoyed when the port swings into full operation. And the federal government should not be shy spending money in our zone.

  • Senate Committee, NPA and Abubakar Umar

    It is legitimate for Nigerians to express their disapproval of the conduct of the legislature and its members if they feel discomfited on any issue but what is certainly not acceptable is for some individuals to hide behind that prerogativeto dodge their own responsibilities to the nation or to even pursue personal vendetta.

    One of such recent developments is the orchestrated media campaign against the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff. About afourth night ago, I was in attendance at a public hearing organized by the committee in conjunction with that of (senate)  marine transport on the activities of some of the operators –both public and private – in that sector.

    I was quite impressed with the way the session went, especially how the committee chairman, Senator Hope Uzodinma, handled proceedings. Anybody who witnessed that event would testify that the committee meant well but that it was bound to be misunderstood at best, or even be resisted by those who have vested interest in the organizations being investigated by the senate (through the joint committee) on a N30 trillion scam in the import and export circle.

    One of the government agencies being investigated is the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on the allegeddisappearance of over 282 vessels from Nigerian ports without a kobo collected from them. Consequently, the investigating committee invited the current chief executive officer of the organization,HadizaBalla-Usman, to appear before it to answer somequestions relating to the matter. Four times the committee has invited her and four times she turned down the invitation.

    Incidentally Ms. Bala-Usman is about the only head of the government agency that hasso far failed to honor the senate’s invitation.Perhaps out of frustration,the committee chairman last week disclosed that the senate may be forced to issue an arrest warrant for heads of the defaulting organizations if they fail to appear at the next meeting.

    Not unexpectedly, there are now attempts tointimidate the senate to stop the investigation.But it is being done in a most tactless manner. The NPA management, led by Bala-Usman seems to have chosen to make it a personal matter between it and the joint committee chairman, Senator Uzodinma.

    Worse, their supporter in their chosen path, retired army Colonel Abubakar Umar, handled the matter badly.

    He first went on a fairy tale on howUzodinma’s company imported rice and declared it as yeast. But when the Comptroller-Generalof the Nigeria Customs Service, another retired army Colonel, Hamid Ali, seized the goods, Uzodinma, according to his narrative, dragged him, to the senate plenary where Ali was, according to Umar, humiliated for not putting on his Customs service uniform.

    Umar went on tolinkthe NPA matter with the face-offs between the senate and the Acting Chairman of the Economic andFinancial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, over the well-knownmatter concerning the latter’s confirmation.

    But I ask: how is the issue of 282 missing vessels connected with Magu’sconfirmation or even the riceallegedly imported by Uzodinma? In his length press statement,Umar acknowledged that the senator’s rice is in the custody of the Customs; meaning that it is not among the items that disappeared from the ports.

    Both by the design and default, Umar has painted Ms Usman as someone who is unwilling to take responsibility for things happening in the agency she is superintending. At a time when the buzz phrase is “not–too–young– to rule” or something like that,MsBala–Usman’s attitude to her job does great damage to her fellow youths and their current campaign to be given more opportunities in public office.

    Worse, it puts the 35% affirmative action for women in great jeopardy. At her age (40), sheis expected to be bold and not attempt to hide under the indiscretion of a biguncle.It is not all youths in Nigeria who hanker for big responsibility that have a big uncle that can rush to the press with anill-conceived statement on their behalf.

    And in trying to protect his daughter’s friend, assuming that is Umar’s main motivation,witness the superfluity with which he wrote: “The experience of HadizaBala–Usman, the new M.D of the NPA, is particularly sad. The more she tries to fight to reduce graft and perfidy, the more determined they seem to mobilize against her, to neutralize her and see her back”

    If I were Usman, I would reject the use of such hyperboles to describe her testimonial in a job she has spent barely one year in. At what point will she stop fighting? Rather than “fight”, she should learn to build confidence in herself and the people she will come across in the course of her career.

    Even more interesting is that Umar, in his enthusiasm to paint a gory picture, claimed that the NPA boss is also being fought because she is a woman.He wrote:”Unashamed, they question the wisdom of appointing a woman to such a post”.

    As far as I am concerned, Umar has inadvertently let the cat out of the bag. Uzodinma does not come from a culture where people disapprove of the appointment of women to top positions.

    Umar’s other goof is what he said about thedredging of the Calabar port, even though like the riceand Ibrahim Magu matters, it has nothing to do with vessels that disappeared.Yes, a company in which Uzodinma has interest, Messrs Niger Global Engineering and Technical Co. Ltd,is the junior partner in a joint venture company, the Calabar Channel Management Company – that is handlingthe dredging of the Calabar port,the NPA being the senior partner.But that project is not part of the ongoing investigation by the senate.

    In other words, it is not part of the reasons Bala-Usman is being invited by the senate. So, bringing it up is just in a bid to rake in evidence to nail Uzodinma as an individual, not even to stand up to a perceived high handedness by the senate itself.How cheap?

    This is more so as the company in reference was incorporated in 1995 and the contract in question advertised and procured in 2004, seven years before Uzodinma became a senator.

    Interestingly, Umar in his statement claimed that “both the NPA subsidiary called Calabar Channel Management and … Niger Global Engineering and Technical Co. Limited were incorporated in 2014 just for this deal”.Umar went ahead to allege that the contract was awarded without due process and that faced with a rash of petition, “the NPA management under MsBala-Usman decided that national interest would be better served if the JV scheme as well as the so-called dredging project are terminated”.

    National interestindeed! If Hajia Usman could summon the courage to unilaterally cancel a project of that magnitude, how is that she could not pick up the same courage to appear before a senate committee to answer mere questions? What happens to the potential beneficiaries of a fully dredged Calabar port which project, when completed, is expected to change the face maritime industry in Nigeria? Was the matter brought back to the federal executive council since no mention of that was made in Umar’s epistle to the Nigerian press last week?

    Writing on the subject in the Daily Sun of Friday August 11 2017, one MajeedDahiruclaimed that the Jonathan administration handed over the Calabar port project to Messrs Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company Limited for asking. Apart from that the claim is a mere platitude, Dahiru is also a victim of the ill-conceived and hurriedly-put-together war against Uzodinma.

    Had he conducted a simple check, he would have discovered that the Calabar port dredging project was advertised and procured in 2004, six years before Goodluck Jonathan became president and seven years before Uzodinma became a senator.

    Thus like Umar, Dahiru is also being used to mislead the Nigerian public. But perhaps a more important question to ask is, if it took presidential intervention, even if it was a wrong step, to get the project started, is Usman now arrogating to herself presidential powers since, as admitted by Umar, she terminated the project entirely on her own volition.

    If she has acquired so much power that she could unilaterally determine what is in “national interest”in just under one year in office; then it means that Umar is painting a wrong picture of her.It means that she is not at the receiving end as he wants us to believe.My advice is that the retired Colonel leaves this lady alone to do her job and grow.

  • NPA’s waste collector acquires $4.5m equipment

    NPA’s waste collector acquires $4.5m equipment

    • Osoba hails agency for forstering transparency

    To clear waste at the ports, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) refuse collector has acquired a $4.5 milllion equipment.

    African Circle Pollution Management Limited (ACPML) will use the equipment to fight pollution in the oceans, lagoons, ports and waterways.

    Speaking with The Nation after the installation of  the Oily Water Separator (OWS) plant in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, ACPML Chairman Chief Olusegun Osoba said the equipment, would ensure effective management of water pollution and waste generated from ships.

    Over 250 Nigerians, said Osoba, former Ogun State Governor were working with the company.

    ACPML, he said, had embarked on initiatives that will reduce ship pollution and cargo residue on the nation’s waters to create cleaner sea for shipping operation in the country.

    According to Osoba, the equipment, will enable the firm to tackle pollution and waste generated by vessels.

    The equipment, he noted, would enhance ACPML operations as contained in the agreement it signed with the government on waste management at the ports

    According to him, the ACPML uses specialised equipment to take liquid waste, including sludge and bilge from ships calling in the nation’s seaports in line with the provisions of International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) 1972, 1973 and 1978 conventions and other related laws

    He said ACPML remains committed to safety of the nation’s waterways, adding that the company will continue to support the present management of NPA as it continues to promote the Nigerian economy through the maritime sector.

    The former governor disclosed that more Nigerians would be employed and more equipment would be purchased by the company based on the transparent administrative attitude now prevalent in the NPA.

    “We have modern and world-class facilities; and highly trained and professional staff to deliver services with internationally accepted quality, safety and environment standards.

    “Our company is an environmentally conscious company applying the Best Available Techniques (BAT) and Best Environmental Practice (BEP) to safely collect all vessel related waste in line with the stipulated best international practice.

    “IMO does not allow indiscriminate dumping of waste in the oceans and waterways. This is to protect the environment and the Eco system. What we do is to collect waste from the vessels calling on Nigerian ports and waterways, all kinds of wastes including oil.

    “We don’t just take this waste and dump them in the dumping site, we treat them and make sure we satisfy the international standard of waste management. That is what the new equipment will assist us to do,” he explained, adding that the equipment is one of the most modern in the entire West coast of Africa.

    “We are the most modern because the IMO does not allow incineration of waste anymore. What the IMO requires now is the recycling of the waste in such a way that  no harm is dumped in the waterways, the oceans and the lagoons to ensure that the water lives and air waves are all protected,” the elderstatesman explained.

    Osoba praised NPA Managing Director Ms Hadiza Bala Usman for institutionalising transparency and efficiency in port operation.“Since the appointment of Ms Hadiza Bala Usman by President Buhari, the first thing I noticed is that she has been able to reduce beaurocracy in the Nigerian Ports Authority.

    “The beaurocratic tendencies have been virtually wiped out. The result of this is that more efficiency and transparency have been brought into the business transaction with the Nigerian Ports Authority.

    “If anybody is complaining about Hadiza Bala Usman, from our own experience in Africa Circle, it must be that such people are not transparent in our own view. And if you are not transparent and compliant to the rules and regulations of NPA, you will run into trouble water with Hadiza Bala Usman.

    “Hadiza is not doing what she is doing at NPA by accident, she is doing it through pedigree and what she imbibed from her late father Bala Usman who was introduced to me by the former governor of Kaduna State Alhaji Barabe Musa,” Chief Osoba said.

    ACPML, he said, is toeing the line of NPA to ensure that Nigeria under the present administration of President Buhari fulfill its obligations as a key member of IMO.

    According to him, ACPML will not relent in ensuring that it fulfills the provisions of the agreement it signed with the Federal Government through the NPA.

    Under the agreement, ACPML is mandated by the Federal Government to provide waste reception facilities at the nation’s seaports in line with the guidelines of IMO particularly marine pollution (MARPOL) 72, 73, and 78.

    Investigation revealed that the company has many specially adapted garbage trucks on ground in Port Harcourt, Rivers State; Calabar, Cross River State; and Warri, Delta State.

    The equipment is outside with over 1,000 tonnes capacity tank farm at the ACPML waste management facility at Snake Island which was designed to safely hold hazardous waste while waiting recycling.

    The company, he said, has the determination to become the leader in comprehensive waste management for the oil and gas industries of Sub Saharan Africa and the whole of Africa by providing the necessary equipment systems and trained personnel to achieve this while delivering the best and most efficient solutions for marine, oil and gas production and shipboard waste disposal.

    Osoba noted that before the coming on board of the Usman-led administration it was extremely difficult for the firm to get her money released, a development he said affected the company’s performance and delivery of its responsibilities.

  • NPA uprades Lagos port clinic

    NPA uprades Lagos port clinic

    The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Ms Hadiza Bala Usman has urged terminal operators, clearing agents, importers, stakeholders and other port users to make use of the newly upgraded Lagos Port Complex Medical Center, Apapa, to boost 24-hour port operation.

    She expressed dissatisfaction with stakeholders for not coming forward to make use of the 24-hour facilities provided by the  NPA to boost services and take care of their health issues.

    Ms Usman stated this yesterday, while commissioning the Lagos Port Complex Clinic inside the Apapa port.

    The Managing Director also bemoaned the 9am to 5pm working hours by the importers and their agents, in spite of the 24-hour port operation policy of the Federal Government. Importers and their agents, she said, are not coming forward to clear their goods after 5p.m, a situation she berated.

    She also said the palliative measures on the alternative route to the dillapidated Wharf  road have commenced in order to address the traffic challenges facing the port.

    “We are encouraging all agents and the port community to come and see what we have and start using our facility twenty four hours.

    “We have noted that the 24hours service are not being utilised outside the 9am to 5pm working hours, so we are encouraging agents to come and clear their cargoes outside of the 9-5 normal working hours, NPA and other agencies have deployed all their facilities towards twenty four hours operations.

  • Agency probes senator’s $34.5m deal with NPA

    Agency probes senator’s $34.5m deal with NPA

    A Senator is in trouble over a curious $34.5million contract awarded to a firm allegedly owned by him. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) awarded the contract during the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The contract was part of the dredging of the Calabar Access Channel by the Calabar Channel Management Limited (CCM), with Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company Limited.

    But all efforts by the new NPA management to find the details of dredging for the period during which CCM claimed to have dredged the Calabar Access Channel (November 2014 to January 2015) have proved abortive.

    NPA is seeking the approval of its Board of Directors to terminate the contract.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is, however, probing the payment of $12,500,000 to the senator’s company.

    The former Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Mr. Emeka Nzeh, in a May 18, 2015 memo to Jonathan, said the former President was not “properly informed” by a former Minister of Transport,  Sen. Idris Umar, about the contract.

    But a plot was hatched to divert the attention of Nigerians from the ongoing investigation with a declaration by the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff on July 17 that about 282 ships were missing from the nation’s ports between 2010 and 2016.

    According to a document obtained by our correspondent, the said contract was in respect of a Joint Venture to “manage the dredging of Calabar Channel.”

    Although the idea of the contract was mooted in 2004, the NPA began the implementation in June 2010 through a public tender, which led to the pre-qualification of six companies.

    But in November 2012, the BPP made a representation to Jonathan and secured approval for selective tendering.

    It was learnt that the Chief of Staff to the then President, in a memo to Jonathan, requested that “the capital dredging of the Calabar Channel be re-procured.”

    Despite the fact that a procurement process was ongoing, the Minister of Transport on September 13, 2012 sought Jonathan’s approval to “appoint a consortium led by the Niger Global in conjunction with NPA using the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), known as Calabar Channel Management Limited (CCM) to manage the Calabar Channel without following due process.”

    Jonathan approved the Minister’s request on 6th November 2012 and the approval was conveyed to the NPA by the ex-Minister on November 26, 2012.

    The management of NPA, led by Hajiya Hadiza Bala Usman (the Managing Director) has discovered that the contract was fraught with irregularities.

    It was learnt that apart from the Board of NPA, the EFCC is already looking into the deal, including the roles played by the senator.

    A document obtained by The Nation gave an insight into how the contract was awarded in curious circumstances.

    The document said: “In line with the approval of Mr. President, the following actions were taken: The Honourable Minister of Transport by a letter with reference No. T.0160/S.107/IX/2632 dated 20th November 2013, directed the Authority to convene the inaugural meeting of the Board of the CCM within two (2) weeks to discuss the modalities for the operation of the company.

    “The Authority received a further directive from the Federal Ministry of Transport to prepare for the flagging-off ceremony of the CCM.  The Honourable Minister of Transport on behalf of Mr. President held the flag-off ceremony on 17th October 2014.

    “After the flag-off ceremony, a second preparatory meeting was held on the 29th October 2014. The meeting discussed issues relating to staff recruitment, amendments to sharing ratio, 2014 Work Plan as approved in the NPA 2014 budget, 2015 budget of CCM, pending the ratification of particulars of directors.

    “CCM subsequently submitted an invoice for fourth quarter 2014 in the sum of US$19,972,673.62 (Nineteen, Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy-two Thousand, Six Hundred and Seventy-three Dollars, Sixty-two Cents) and US$14,593,324.59 (Fourteen Million, Five Hundred and Ninety-three Thousand, Three Hundred and Twenty-four Dollars, Fifty-nine Cents) for first quarter 2015 amounting to US$34,565,998.21 (Thirty-four Million, Five Hundred and Sixty-five Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety-eight Dollars, Twenty-one Cents.

    “The Authority (NPA) made a payment of US$12,500,000.00 (Twelve Million, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) only.

    “Further processing of payment was suspended by the Authority due to the investigation being carried out by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following a petition received by it against CCM.

    “The EFCC subsequently directed the Authority to engage the services of a reputable audit firm to undertake a forensic bathymetric survey to verify the dredging claimed to have been done. A firm was engaged and is retained accordingly.”

    An inquiry conducted by the Hadiza Bala Usman’s administration in NPA revealed the following:

    “The Authority has consistently maintained that maritime activities in the Calabar Channel is low and cannot sustain a JV arrangement that would establish a channel management company as obtained in the Lagos and Bonny channels.

    “This was also the position of the Consultant that the Authority appointed in 2004. The position has not changed. We are however of the opinion that a model that is financially prudent should be explored;

    “The procurement process that brought about CCM was reviewed and described as flawed by the Bureau of Public Procurement. The recommendation for the appointment of Niger Global Engineering Limited as the JV partner for the Calabar Channel was done by the Federal Ministry of Transport unilaterally without the technical input of the Authority, including all recommendations to Mr. President.

    “CCM was incorporated after the procurement process for the Calabar channel managers had begun. As stated by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in their memo referenced BPP/PRES/2015/013 of 18‘“ May 2015 to Mr. President, “it appears as if Messrs CCM was surreptitiously incorporated for the purpose of obtaining this contract without competition”.

    “All efforts to find details of dredging activities for the period during which CCM claimed to have dredged the Calabar Access Channel (November 2014 to January 2015) proved abortive. The Harbour Master and Port Hydrographer during the period stated they were i unaware of any dredging undertaken by CCM during the period. Further, there was no communication between the company and the Port Management on their purported dredging activities during the period.

    “The information available regarding the movement of dredging equipment relating to CCM is as follows:

    • That the Dredger ‘MV Atlantico Due arrived Calabar on 16″” October 2014 and berthed at Intels Terminal for the flag-off ceremony and left immediately after the ceremony on 18‘“. October 2014.
    • That on 12th November 2014, a survey boat ‘MV Hurricane arrived Calabar and anchored mid-stream for a while then left without recourse to the Port Management.
    • That ‘MV Waterway’ arrived Calabar on 19th November 2014  and subsequently disappeared without any recourse to Calabar Port Control/Management and without applying or obtaining the requisite sailing clearance and till date, there is no communication on the where about of the dredger.
    • That on 29th August 2015, the dredger ‘MV Atlantico Due arrived Calabar Fairway Buoy but was not allowed to enter the port for security reasons pending completion of necessary documentation. However, no documentation has been done in that regard till date.
    • That on 1st September 2015, ‘MV Hurricane’ arrived Calabar without any documentation. The port signal station directed the vessel captain to ensure necessary documentation with the port was done but the vessel left without responding.

    “Thus, after careful examination of the Authority’s overall dredging data/vessel movement in conjunction with inputs from the Authority’s relevant personnel, it is questionable if any dredging actually took place.

    “The Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement in his memo on 18th May 2015 to the Mr. President stated:  “Your Excellency, I am of the humble view that you were not properly informed by the Hon. Minister of Transport’s letter ref T.016/S.107/IXI dated 10th June 2014.

    An EFCC source said: “We have received complaints about the JV contract and a senator has a case to answer.

    “We are already scrutinising all documents relating to the JV and payments made to the senator’s firm.

    “Our main target is to recover public funds collected for job not done. The Senator and all those involved in the contract will be questioned by our team.”

  • NPA, LSSFT partner

    Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) are partnering to address insecurity and traffic management challenges at Apapa ports.

    NPA Managing Director Ms. Hadiza Usman made this known  when she received the LSSTF Executive Secretary, Dr. Abdurrazaq Balogun, and his team in her office.

    She said the collaboration would assist in resolving the challenges of insecurity and traffic gridlock at the ports.

    “I must say that this visit is very necessary as it gives us better understanding of LSSTF, considering the fact that the support requested for is of value to the NPA. On our part, we will review what the NPA has done in the past and do it in a sustainable manner.

    “I also assure you of our commitment to collaborate with the fund in other areas where the support is necessary to improve the challenges of insecurity and traffic management around Apapa ports.”

    Responding, Balogun said the visit was to rekindle the partnership between NPA and the fund. The LSSTF, more than ever before, he said, needed support to help security agencies combat crime in the state.

    He said the LSSTF was created in 2007 to source for resources in any form (cash, assets, technical, among others), to equip and support all security agencies in the state.

    “As we all know, the well-being and security of the people of a state are the responsibility of the government and that is why the Lagos State government has taken giant strides to see that this is put in place. Today, the state government is the fund’s biggest donor.

    “Without the LSSTF, the peace and tranquility experienced in Lagos in the last 10 years would not have been possible, but the Fund has been responding promptly to the needs of security agencies which make them more productive in the discharge of their duties,” Balogun said.

    Emphasising that the fund does not receive subvention from the government, Balogun said LSSTF is solely funded by donations from corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals.

    ‘‘LSSTF has been effective because of its transparency and accountability showing donors that what they put their money into is being expended judiciously in the procurement of vehicles, logistics and other crime fighting tools to the security agencies in the state,” he said.