House Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration on Tuesday expressed concern over the alleged $14 billion lost to leakages/fraud in the nation’s maritime subsector.
The committee during an interface with the management team of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) held at the National Assembly complex, Abuja, also demanded for the financial records showing the $30 million monthly revenue realised by the agency.
Mohammed Bago, who chaired the committee, also demanded for the update on the N50 billion un-accessed Cabotage Fund.
Speaking on the various petitions on breach of contractual agreements signed with some contractors, Bago expressed concern over the non-payment of incentives to Global West.
While responding to inquiries, the NIMASA helmsman, Haruna Jauro confirmed that the agency realised between $21 million and $30 million at the peak of the month.
On the contractual agreement entered with Global West was due to the inability of the agency to procure the required vessels for loading.
Under the arrangement, Global West was to provide 20 vessels within four years under the public private partnership (PPP) arrangement.
According to him, the procured vessels are to be handed over to NIMASA at the expiration of a 10-year agreement signed by both parties.
He however noted that 18 vessels had so far been procured by Global West, leaving two vessels outstanding.
The NIMASA chief added that the presence of the vessels provided by Global West had helped in combating piracy on the nation’s territorial waters, as they were waiting for new incentives to have a new benchmark to pay the contractor.
“NIMASA is supposed to be on the waters to survey ships, we don’t have the vessels, that is what brought about the partnership with Global West.
“They were supposed to provide 20 vessels and have produced 18 so far. We have not paid them since March, it is to be reviewed after three years and this is to have a new benchmark so they can be paid.
“We were waiting for a new incentive and when it came, we were in a meeting when we got a phone call that the DG has been relieved of his duty. The EFCC came in and had their own interpretation and questions, so we have been put in the middle and we cannot pay,” he said.
According to him, the agency has a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Navy and Air Force to effectively monitor the Nigerian waters.
