Senate Queries N43bn In NPA Budget For Dredging, Probe $3Billion Earlier Released

The Senate has mandated its Committee on Marine Transport to investigate the inclusion of a total sum of N43billion in the 2017 budget of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) after same NPA had earlier received the sum of $3 billion given by the federal government for the dredging of the Calabar, Lagos and Bonny channels 11 years ago.

This came as Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, representing Delta Central Senatorial District, raised the allegations and query on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday as a point of order.

Giving a graphic details of the matter, Omo-Agege said: “Both the Lagos Channel Management and the Bonny Channel Company were established in August 2005 for the management and routine maintenance dredging of Lagos and Bonny navigation channels, while the Calabar Channel Management Company Limited was established for the management and capital dredging of the Calabar channel.

“Although the aforementioned companies were conceived to operate a public-private partnership (PPP) model and to reduce financial burden on the Federal Government, the NPA has expended over USD 1billion and USD 2billion on the Lagos Channel Management and the Bonny Channel Company respectively from 2005 till date.

”Despite the huge expenditure, significant dredging is yet to commence on the Calabar channel, notwithstanding that the Calabar channel is an economic gateway to the North Central and North East geo-political zones of the country.

“In spite of the financial commitments of the NPA to some of its joint ventures, empirical facts, evidence and data — including current Admiralty Charts from Lloyds of London — show that the purported claims of daily maintenance dredging are questionable.

“This is because the depth profiles of the Lagos and Bonny channels have remained at the same height of 13 meters for over 11 years,.

“Furthermore, in the 2017 Budget of the NPA, the Lagos Channel Management and the Bonny Channel Company have requested for N23 billion and N20 billion respectively.” Omo-Agege added.

Reacting to the allegation, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, directed that the Marine Transport Committee should investigate the dredging activities, books, and records of the enterprises  which was established for the management and capital dredging of the Calabar channel and report back to plenary in a week.

“These are the issues we will be bringing out from agencies in order to fight and protect the interests and rights of all Nigerians,” the Senate President said.