No Political Vendetta Against Atiku; The Issue With Intels Is Their Non-compliance With TSA – NPA’s MD

The Managing Director of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, has dismissed the insinuations making the round that there is a vendetta against former Vice President Abubakar Atiku over the cancelation of its multi-billion dollars contract with with Integrated Logistic Limited, (Intels), an oil services company linked to Atiku.

BigPen Online recalls that NPA’s management had via a statement released to the media said it has cancelled the contract saying it acted based on advice by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister Of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.

However, since the development, stakeholders in the industry as well as many other Nigerians have accused the NPA of playing politics with the matter as Mr. Abubakar’s presidential ambition may likely posed a serious challenge to  President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection in 2019.

Addressing newsmen after a stakeholders meeting held at PRODECO yard along NPA expressway, Warri, Delta state, Managing Director of the NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, said that there was no political witch hunting against Intels and its owners.

She stressed that Intels as a company failed abinitio to comply with the Federal Government approved Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy after being warned to do so like others a year ago.

According to her, Intels collects revenue on behalf of the Federal Government but has vehemently declined to paid such revenue to the account of the government as constitution demands.

Hadiza Bala-Usman said that worried by the development, the management of the Nigeria Port Authority sought the need for Intel to comply with the mandatory payment of revenue accrual to the Federal Government into the TSA and therefore sought the opinion of the Attorney-General of the Federation who confirmed that the contract is void abinitio for the violations of constitutional provisions.

Speaking further, she said, many companies since the policy, had complied with the decision to operate a TSA and wondered why Intels had remain adamant to comply with what is constitutional.

“There is evident that Intels decline to comply with TSA, where all revenue generated by the government are domicile in, it is a rule from the constitution as section 80 clearly provide that revenue should come to the government. Intel collect revenue on behalf of the Nigerian Port Authority and has decline to accept that those revenues should be paid to the account of the government”.

“We have been in dialogue with the Intels from June 2016 till date and Intels have maintained that they will not make the payments to the TSA. The NPA complained and sought the opinion of the Attorney-General. The Attorney General confirmed abinitio that the contract indeed is void because of the violation of Section 80 and 169 of the constitution so there is nothing political about it”.

“Companies have complied. I do not believe there is any company that is above compliance with the country’s constitution because the constitution clearly provides that, so why should any company feels it is about the law and above the constitution.

Continuing, she said, “So putting political coloration to the decision of NPA is a way of distracting Nigerians and people whereas primarily, the issue is their non-compliance with TSA”.

“We in the Nigerian Port Authority has noted the concerns of Intels regarding efficiency payments. Bureaucratic processes may not permit NPA to pay them efficiently within the period they want. We have noted that concern and we have offered Intels that we would give them interest on any delay payment”.

“We have said we would pay them within seven official days and if we don’t pay within those period, let us pay interest on any delayed payment. But Intel still declined that they wouldn’t comply to TSA, and that they would rather collect all revenue through their own accounts, deduct their own payment, deduct amortization and give Nigeria government the balance but that’s not the way it should work”.

“The structure should be that revenues are collected to the coffers of
the government, to a TSA account that both Intels and NPA view so that
it can permit Intels to see what revenue comes in”.

“At the end of every month there’ll be a reconciliation of what revenues have come in to the account and upon reconciliation Intels will provide the NPA with an invoice of their service fee, which is 28% and NPA will pay them”.

“Intels provides certificate and evidence of amortization, NPA will pay them. Intels will provide the details of cost of funds and NPA will pay them. This is the structure as it’s provided and if there are any concerns on delay of bureaucratic process, we can pay interest on
delayed payment, but they refused to comply so I’m curious as to what
is political about that”, Hadiza Bala-Usman reiterated

On the meeting, the NPA’s MD said that the essence of the stakeholders meeting was to chant a way forward to improve the Delta Ports and Eastern Ports, provide tugs boat, piloting facilities and dredging of the Escravos Bar as well as provision of navigational aid for the Escravos Bar.

According to her, management was desirous to improve the Delta and Eastern Port, drive traffic to the ports hence the meeting in which all stakeholders have agreed on the decision to be taken.

“I came here to discuss with stakeholders to further partner and see how we can improve the Delta Ports. We are also here to brief the stakeholders on the effort that the authority has made in the provision of tug boats, provision of piloting waters and also our intention to dredge the Escravos bar”.

“We have reach advanced stage in the procurement process to enable us provide the dredging works and navigational aid for the Escravos Bar. So that’s why we are here to interact with the stakeholders”.

Hadiza Bala-Usman, said that a timeline for the provisions of the facilities and work to be done has been set, adding that once the necessary approval is given from the Ministerial Tender Board within the next 12 weeks, the contractor would swing into action.

Written by Joe Ogbodu

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