By Odimnmegwa Johnpeter, Abuja
Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has denied allegations that he insisted that two Chinese companies be selected by the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) to manage Bonny and Warri channels.
His denial was contained in a statement made yesterday by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, in response to reports on the $1.5 billion channel contracts.
According to Ajani, malicious people who wanted to dent the image of the minister sponsored the report. Amaechi said he only insisted that the contract be done in-house, instead of the humongous amount paid to contractors yearly for dredging.
He explained that the Channel Management’ contracts have been routinely awarded over the years by the Nigerian Ports Authority at a cost of between N50 and N60 Billion Naira on an annual basis, the Honourable Minister has adopted a firm position that the NPA should undertake the job of channel management on an in-house basis through the acquisition of the necessary machinery and professional capacity
The statement was a response to a news publication on how $1.5billion Channel Management, Intels contracts Pitted Amaechi against bala-Usma said the ministry believe that the report was sponsored by malicious people who wanted to dent the image of the Minister
The statement reads following the expiration of the Channel Management contracts for the Lagos, Bonny, and Port-Harcourt Channels in 2020 and the initiation of the contractual process for the renewal of the said contracts early in 2021, the HMT on 22nd January 2021, while responding to a request for the NPA to provide requisite details related to the proposed transactions directed in the following words: There is the need for NPA to know that NPA should purchase their own equipment and not award any contract.”
In pursuant to the ministerial directive, the Department Maritime Services in a vide a letter No. T0160/S.30/T4E/T2/61 dated 2nd February 2021, to the Managing Director, NP Requesting that NPA should provide information on the expired contracts. It specifically asked them to provide information on the current status of the Managing Agent contract and the measures put in place to cover the vacuum created as a result of the expiration of the contract to prevent revenue loss to the government;
The letter also demanded information on the current status of the Lagos and Bonny/Port Harcourt Channel management Companies and the measures put in place to cover the gap created by the expired contracts to ensure the channels are maintained for safe navigation and efficient service delivery;
“The volume dredged annually from the channels and the depths achieved from inception management contracts to date and the amount expended; the number of wrecks removed annually by the Channel Management Companies from the inception of the contracts and amount spent, and the total number of buoys replaced or maintained during the life span of the contract and the amount spent.”
The department further conveys the directives on the need for the Authority to procure its equipment for the service and cease awarding any such contract.
The statement noted that despite the fact that the letter was duly received by the NPA on the same 2nd February, the Authority has not deemed it necessary till date to respond to the Ministerial directives contained therein.
It noted that “in keeping with the best traditions of the Public Service, this Ministry will not be drawn into an endless media war with faceless campaigners using certain media houses to pursue an agenda that can best be canvassed before the Administrative Panel already set up to unravel issues surrounding the management of the NPA since 2016.
https://any.peopleandpowermag.com/channel-management-contracts-amaechi-denies-insisting-on-chinese/
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