Reps probe NIMASA over fictitious contract awards worth billions of naira
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 house floor in Abuja on Wednesday.
In his motion, he expressed several allegations of questionable, inflated and fictitious contract awards, particularly for non-operational speed boats, security surveillance contracts and the Deep Blue Water Contract.
The lawmaker said this had led to revenue leakages and the award of contracts to cronies of the agency’s director-general and other top management staff.
He raised concerns over the alleged under-remittance of debts owed to the country by Shipping firms, with the consent and connivance of the agency.
Mr Chinda 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 of $80,000 in revenue.
He said the security surveillance contract called Deep Blue Water Contract’ was suspected to be a conduit by the agency’s management to pilfer funds.
The lawmaker said 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.
According to him, this costs $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).
“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,” the lawmaker said.
The house adopted the motion and set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the allegations and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
(NAN)
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