N5.1BN PROJECT SCANDAL ROCKS NPA

Investigations have revealed that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is currently engulfed in a N5.1bn contract scam over the complete rehabilitation and expansion of its headquarters building in Marina, Lagos. According to investigations, the complete rehabilitation and expansion of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), headquarters building in Marina,, Lagos was awarded at the rate of N5,001,785,839.05 to Messrs. Sageto Nigeria Limited on the December 22, 2010 with an 18-month completion mandate, while Messrs. AIMS Consultant Ltd bagged the consultancy job for the project. However, three years after the contract was awarded to both firms, the project is barely 50 per cent completed. According to a source who preferred not to have his name in print as he is not authorised to speak on the issue, "the NPA headquarters rehabilitation project has become another means for successive NPA management to siphon money.

CRISIS BREWS OVER PLANS TO SCRAP NPA

A crisis might be brewing in the nation’s port industry over moves by the Federal Government to further concession harbour and marine services, a development that would technically mean the scrapping of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA.

The Federal Government had, about eight years ago, ceded the control of the port terminals to private investors, under concession agreements that divested the authority of its cargo handling operations, which were taken over by private concessionaires under controversial and questionable circumstances.