House of Representatives Summons Ministers, Officials Over Alleged Port Infrastructure Concession Fraud
The House of Representatives has summoned the Ministers of Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, and his transportation counterpart, Saidu Alkali, alongside other top government officials over alleged fraudulent concession of ports infrastructure.
In addition to the ministers, those invited for questioning include the Managing Director of Nigeria Ports Authority, Mohammed Bello Koko, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprise, Mamman Ahmadu, and the Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Micheal Ohiani, among others.
The summons was issued by the Chairman of the House Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, Ibrahim Hamisu, during a meeting with seaport terminal operators in Abuja on Tuesday.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the absence of the government officials to explain their role in the concession of the seaport terminals, Hamisu highlighted concerns regarding the alleged mismanagement of the concession process. He noted that five companies had been operating for five years without renewal, resulting in significant revenue loss for the Federal Government.
Hamisu emphasized the necessity for the summoned officials to appear before the committee on March 12, stating that relevant documents must be furnished by Friday. He underscored the committee's commitment to addressing the issue in the national interest.
The meeting aimed to discuss strategies to expedite the renewal process and attract investments into critical port infrastructure. Hamisu outlined the outstanding requirements for concluding the concession process, stressing the need for collaboration among stakeholders.
Following the meeting, Hamisu reiterated the urgency of resolving the issue and warned of potential consequences for those responsible for the expired concessions. He identified the affected seaport terminals as Port and Cargo Terminal, ENL Consortium Terminal C, ENL Consortium Terminal D, Josepdam Terminal, and AMS Terminal.
In his ruling, Hamisu insisted that the summoned ministers and officials must appear before the committee next week Tuesday without fail, signaling the committee's determination to address the matter promptly.
