Tag: NPA

“Comply with FG’s directive on Naira transactions”, Oil Marketers urges NIMASA, NPA

Aminu Imam

The Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria has said the refusal of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to obey Federal Government’s directive on Naira transactions for ports charges is contributing to the fall in value of naira and the rise in price of petrol. This is contained in an issued statement by the Vice Chairman II, Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), Mahmood Tukur, at the weekend. Recall that the Federal Government, through its downstream regulator, and based on…

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Conspiracy of Silence: Reps. summon NPA Boss, terminal operators over $753m, N1.61bn debts

Aminu Imam

The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC), has summoned the Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), and 18 terminal operators to appear before it and explain why the sum of $753million and 1.61 billion was not paid to the coffers of the Federal Government. The summon followed the Committee’s deliberation on audit queries raised against the parties by the office of the Auditor-General to the Federation (AuGF) over the indebtedness of about 18 terminal operators doing business in the nation’s ports to the FG. According to the…

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Economic Crimes: CNPP, CSOs demand immediate resignation of NPA Boss, arrest of ex-Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi

Aminu Imam

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations (C-CSOs) have called for the immediate resignation of the current Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Moh’d Bello-Koko, and the arrest of the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, for defying the Federal Government on matters relating to the Treasury Single Account, (TSA), and operating two secret foreign accounts where payments are made and the funds are looted at will by the management and the supervising Minister while he was in office. Recall…

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“I will right Amaechi’s wrongs in the maritime industry” – Transport Minister, Gbemi Saraki, vows

Aminu Imam

After several years as Minister of State in the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Senator Gbemi Saraki has finally crept out from the hold of her estranged boss and former Minister, Rotimi Amaechi. Gbemi Saraki, who was consigned to a ‘spare tyre’ role under Rotimi Amaechi, stormed Lagos this week with a full complement of the Staff of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, told newsmen that her mission in Lagos was to have a feel on first basis, the myriad of problems facing Nigeria’s Maritime Industry. According to her, “Having gone…

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Audit Query: H/Reps C’ttee probes NPA over non-remittance of multi-million dollar revenue

Aminu Imam

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has commenced an investigation into the multi-million dollar debt owed the Federal Government by terminal operators and the failure by the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) to account for billions of naira accruing to the national treasury. The Committee Chairman, Rep. Wole Oke, asked the Management of the NPA to explain why such a huge amount of money owed to the Federal Government by terminal operators has not been recovered and paid into the federal treasury. The investigation is the sequel to 12…

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Panel indicts ex-NPA Boss, Hadiza Bala-Usman

Aminu Imam

…Issues her query Former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman’s troubles have just been compounded as a panel of inquiry appointed, with the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari, to investigate her 5-year tenure at the government agency, has allegedly indicted her and subsequently issued her a query. Recall that embattled Bala-Usman was suspended from office last year following the recommendations of her supervising minister, Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation. It had been reported that the real reason she was suspended from office was allegedly undermining…

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Suspended NPA MD, Bala-Usman, meets President Buhari

Aminu Imam

Despite being on suspension for the past eight months as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2021, suspended Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman, on Friday informally met with the President. Although Bala-Usman might have met with President Buhari previously behind-closed-door and off the cameras, this Friday’s meeting was the first time the duo will be seen together in public since the suspension was pronounced. Recall that Bala-Usman was suspended in May 2021 by the Federal Government, as part of moves to ‘allow an independent…

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Audit Query: NPA to refund N40.13bn, $921.64m, £289,931.82m to FG

Aminu Imam

The Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation has indicted the Nigeria Ports Authority, (NPA), for failure to recover and remit N40.126 billion, $921.636 million and £289,931.82 to government treasury from various revenue sources in the 2019 financial fiscal year. This was contained in 13 audit queries for the NPA signed by the Auditor-General of the Federation, Adolphus Aghughu, and submitted to the National Assembly for further legislative action. The report disclosed that agreements signed between NPA and various terminal operators stated that: “A fixed annual payment of a sum…

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Senate begins probe into fraudulent contract award of N7.5bn in NPA

Aminu Imam

The Upper Chamber of the National Assembly has begun an investigation into the Nigeria Port Authority, (NPA), over irregularities in the award of the N7.5 billion contract. The contract, according to the Auditor-General of the Federation’s report submitted to the Senate for consideration, was for shore erosion control work at Akipelai, Ayakoro and Otuoke in Bayelsa State. The Senate Committee on Public Account, chaired by Senator Matthew Urhoghide, hinged the planned investigation on the 2017 Auditor-General’s report submitted to the Senate. The contract was as at March 2012 having a…

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NPA: Judicial drama as Hadiza Bala Usman’s trial is stalled

Aminu Imam

There was a mild drama at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi yesterday, November 4, as parties to the suit challenging the premature reappointment of Hadiza Bala Usman as Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA), were informed that the matter was heard a clear 24 hours before the scheduled date of November 4. Recall that maritime stakeholder, Elder Asu Beks, and two others had on March 25, 2021, filed the suit challenging the powers of President Muhammadu Buhari to prematurely re-appoint Hadiza Usman, six clear months before the expiration of…

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