The House of Representatives sub-committee on public assets has urged the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), to intensify efforts to block all revenue leakages in all its facilities.

The chairman of the committee, Rep. Uche Harris Annie-Okonkwo (LP-Anambra), made the call on Monday in Abuja during a private meeting with the management of NPA.

The sub-committee is saddled with the responsibility of investigating alleged abuses of leases/concessions and public private partnership Programmes (PPP) arrangements in NPA.

The chairman cautioned the management of NPA against allowing companies to divert funds meant for the government.

“While the investigation into the alleged abuses of leases and concessions is still ongoing, the committee deems it necessary to call for caution over revelation of diversion of funds and non-compliance with the terms of agreement.

“The Truck Transit Limited is allegedly operating manually even though their contract stipulates that the company should construct an automatic system for truck parking and entrance to NPA terminals,” he said.

According to him, a lessee, Intels Nigeria Ltd which is having five facilities of NPA and allegedly owing over $10 million is still operating fully without any serious effort of NPA’s management to get the money.

He said that Starz Marine and Engineering Ltd. is allegedly owing for some years without remittances.

Mr Annie-Okonkwo urged the agency to double its efforts in ensuring that the government does not lose money to private businesses.

The rep member, however, said that failure to recoup the funds and pay them into federal government coffers, could be interpreted as collusion to divert public funds.

(NAN)