Reps probe contract fraud, revenue leakages in NIMASA

The House of Representatives has resolved to constitute an ad hoc committee 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.

The ad hoc committee was given three months to conclude the probe and report back to the House for further legislative action.

The resolution, on Wednesday, followed the adoption of a motion on the “Need 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.”

The motion was moved by Honourable Kingsley Chinda, Honourable Victor Ogbuzor, Honourable Cyril Hart, Honourable Manu Soro and Honourable Manuchim Owuzuirike.

Chinda, while moving the motion, said, “There have been several allegations of questionable, inflated and fictitious contract awards, particularly for non-operational speed boats, security surveillance contracts and Deep Blue Water contract, revenue leakages and the award of contracts to cronies of the Director General and other top management staff of the agency.”

He raised concern about the alleged under-remittance of debts owed to the country by shipping firms, with the alleged consent or connivance of NIMASA.

 “We are aware that the agency is 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 monthly, without a needs assessment for such facility being carried out by the relevant departments of the agency.

“The said XPO Marine Limited had earlier been indicted for defrauding the agency to the tune of $80,000 in revenue,” the lawmaker said.