The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the sale of public property by some government agencies on Wednesday, September 20, uncovered how the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) sold 16 vessels/crafts for a paltry N156,233,966.75 in 2019.
The ad hoc committee headed by the House leader also discovered how the NPA sold some items it quantified as 45 million for N45 million at the Lagos Port Complex and another 10.8 million for N10. 8 million at the NPA Dockyard, Apapa for N10. 8 million.
At the resumed investigative hearing on Wednesday, the committee resolved to adjourn the investigation till Monday, September 25, due to the uncoordinated manner the General Manager, Procurement of the NPA, Kawu Suleiman made his presentation before the committee.
The ad-hoc committee was mandated by the House to investigate the disposal of public property by the Agencies between 2010 and 2022 and find out the extent of illegal auctioning of public property, and non-remittance of revenue realized into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.
The vessels are: ML Pategi sold at N3,250,892.50; ML Misau sold at N1,056,142.50; PB Kabba sold at N5,355,892.50; SPB 3 sold at N53,396.25; PC Shelleng sold at N48,142.50; ML Sakwa sold at N531,142.50; Floating Dock V sold at N107,500,913.00; ML Tangeli sold at N538,413.74; while ML Tandama was sold at N538,474.75.
In the same vein, MT Bajima was sold at N8,437,642.40; PC Owatoloyo sold at N3,780,892.50; PC Umuahia sold at N2,688,413.75; MT Ibeto sold at N3,150,892.50; MT Owerri sold at N2,150,161.25; MT Bansara sold at N8,662,657.50 and MT Bashar sold at N8,882,657.50.
The 16 vessels and crafts termed unserviceable by the NPA were located in the Lagos Pilotage District, Delta Pilotage District, Port Harcourt Pilotage District, and Calabar Pilotage District.
They form part of the 20 “wrecked vessels/ crafts disposed of by the NPA in four Pilotage districts of Lagos, Delta, Port Harcourt, and Calabar in 2019.
The rest that is either not sold or pending are SV Argungu (N21, 500,913.75- PENDING), ML Kaoje (N30, 000,000-nit sold), and Line Boat 3 (N100, 000.00-Not sold), while the MT Adamawa was sold for an amount that is not clearly spelt out in the document.
Some stakeholders privy to the auctioning process who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed that some of the vessels and other office items described as unserviceable are still in good condition.
A close look at the document presented to the Committee revealed that the NPA sold 44 exotic vehicles including Ranger Pick Up, Toyota Coaster Buses, Toyota Corolla cars, Toyota Hiace cars, Toyota Camry Salon Cars, Toyota Hilux Pick Up cars, Isuzu Pick Up cars, Mitsubishi Jeeps, Mercedes Benz Truck, Land Rover Mini Fire Van, among others at total sum of N31,848,948.
The documents further revealed that Land Rover Mini Fire Truck was sold at N20,000; Toyota Hilux Van sold at N50,000; Isuzu Pick Up Van sold at N30,000; Peugeot 504 Salon car sold at N20,000; another Toyota Hilux Van sold at N60,000; Mitsubishi Pick Up Van sold at N53,000; Ford Ranger sold at N60,000; another Isuzu Pick Up sold at N55,000;
The Agency also sold various office equipment such as generators and tanks, batteries, fuel tanks, Craner, masts, vans, welding machines, motorcycles and bicycles at N22,721,754 in 2019.
In the same year, NPA sold 44 series of vehicles including Mitsubishi Pick Up Van at N21,735; Toyota Hilux Van at N50,000; and Ford Ranger Pick Up Van at N60,000; among others.
Speaking at the hearing, the House leader directed the NPA delegation to go back and put their House in order and come back on Monday, along with the list of properties slated for auctioning, evaluation reports, and names of registered Valuers involved in the transactions; including their reports, government approval from the office of Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Federal Executive Council; including Certificate of No Objection where necessary, evidence of remittances into the Consolidated Revenue Fund, bidding procedures, newspaper publications, selection and every other documents that will assist the ad-hoc committee.
He also chided the Acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi for consistently ignoring summons from the committee, warning that the Customs boss should not push the committee to go the extra mile to use its legal powers to compel him to appear.
Hon. Ihonbvere argued that even after public funds were spent from its scarce resources to publish the summons in newspapers, the committee only got a reply of an apology from the Service for their inability to appear before the committee due to some operations outside Abuja.
While issuing a final warning to the newly appointed NCS Comptroller General, the Majority Leader noted that the arrogance of power and indiscipline in the public service can have negative consequences and, hence should be addressed.
He said,
“I guess the Customs people think that they can use delay tactics to frustrate the work of this committee. We will not allow that to happen, not under leadership. They must appear before the committee and this committee must write a report.”
