Kunle Kalejaye 26 October 2016, Sweetcrude, Lagos – Operators in the nation’s maritime industry are currently owing the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, about $420.5 million.
The debts are from as far back as 2004, according to Director General of the agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.
Speaking during an engagement with the House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration in Abuja, Peterside refuted claims that NIMASA was owed monies in excess of $10 billion.
Peterside stated that the alleged debt figure could have been right given that the freight element of shipping trade in the country in the last four years was not up to $10 billion.
In response to a petition received by the committee purporting that the NIMASA had engaged a consultant to assist in recovering its debts without following due process, the director general maintained that due process was followed in selecting the consultant as the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, had also issued a certificate of no objection for the purpose.
Peterside, who noted that the agency has made concerted efforts to recover the debts with little success, said this necessitated the employment of the services of a consultant to assist in recovering the funds.
The agency had recently engaged the services of Messrs Snecou Financial Services Company Limited to recover the debts.
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