The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate alleged fictitious contract awards, gross mismanagement of billions of naira and lopsided placement of directors by the Nigerian Maritime Administration And Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Kingsley Chinda (PDP-Rivers) and five others on the floor of the House in Abuja on Wednesday.
In his motion, he expressed concerned over recent developments in the award of questionable and phoney contracts, fraudulent forex transactions, lopsided placement of Directors and other unwholesome and corrupt practices in the NIMASA.
He said there had been several allegations of questionable, inflated and fictitious contract awards particularly for non-operational speed boats, security surveillance contracts and Deep Blue Water Contract.
This he said had led to revenue leakages and the award of contracts to cronies of the Director-General and other top management staff of the agency.
He raised concerned over alleged under-remittance of debts owed the country by Shipping firms, with the
consent and connivance of the agency.
He said the agency was alleged to have entered into a very dubious contract with a firm known as
XPO Marine Limited’ for the lease of six speed boats, each at the rate of 173,930.00 dollars monthly, without a needs assessment.
He said XPO Marine Ltd had earlier been indicted for defrauding the agency to the tune
of $80,000 in revenue.
He said security surveillance contract called Deep Blue Water Contract’ was suspected to be a conduit by the management of the agency to pilfer funds.
According to him, a security contract tagged National Integrated Surveillance and Waterways Protection’ is also said to have been awarded to an Israeli firm,
HSLI Systems and Technologies Limited.
This according to him is at the cost of $195,300,000.00, despite an existing facility, which is a simple internet subscription via Lloyds Intelligence Platform for such operations.
He said the agency was also said to have an existing surveillance system called Lloyd’s List Intelligence for tracking the movement of vessels on Nigeria’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The lawmaker said he was aware of other allegations such as abuse of office and lopsided appointment and placement of Directors of the Agency in favour of some interests to the detriment of others and in breach of S. 14(3) of the Constitution.
“I am aware of allegations of high level corruption against the DG and top management of the agency
in the form of withholding of remittable revenue by Gas Shipping Nigeria Limited, Daddo Marine
Ltd among others,”
Adopting the motion, the house therefore set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the allegations and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
