Embattled Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala Usman has responded to the query issued her by the Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi. In the 23 page document obtained exclusively by Shipping World on Monday in Abuja, Hadiza Bala Usman cleared herself of any wrong doing. In a letter dated February 4 ,2022 and captioned ” Re: Allegations of infractions Arising from the Report of the Administrative Panel of Inquiry into Activities of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) 2016 to 2021″, the suspended MD took time to respond to the 21 grounds on which was found culpable by the panel headed by Mr Auwal Suleiman, the Director of Maritime Services at the Ministry of Transportation.
Disregard for Ministerial Directive in Respect of the Bonny/Port Harcourt/Lagos Channel Management Contract ” Hadiza’s Response” . The directive from the Hon Minister to extend the tenure of the technical partners for the channel management for one year, and to cancel the advertisement placed for the tender process to replace the technical partners was complied with through a letter to the Bureau of Public Procurement dated June , 2020.
The BPP responded to the request vide letter dated 18th June , where in the BPP noted the request for one year extension as directed by the HMT . The letter further explained that the BPP will only allow for the extension of contract for 6months to allow the Authority carry out the International bidding process.This position, according to Hadiza, was conveyed to the HMT vide a letter dated 30th June with reference MD/10/FMT/Vol ××/36.
This shows that I never disregarded Minister’s directive but conveyed same to the BPP,” Hadiza claims. On the status of the Channel Management Contract, the volume dredged, the number of wrecks removed, and navigational buoys replaced or maintained annually during the 15 years contract, Hadiza had this to say :”The Federal Ministry of Transportation made the request via letter dated February 2, 2021. The letter directed that information on the volume dredged, the number of wrecks removed, and navigational buoys replaced or maintained annually during the period of 15 years should be provided. Considering the magnitude of the volumes of data spanning a period of 15yrs across three different locations (Bonny, Port Harcourt,and Lagos), the Authority needed time to put the documents together as significant portions have been relocated to various archives…” Other infractions which drew the ire of the Minister of Transportation include, unlawful procurement of the Operation of Truck Transit Park for e_call up, refusal to remit proceeds from TTPL to the treaury single account (TSA), unilateral execution of a supplemental agreement in respect of the Lekki Deep Seaport Concession Project,breach of channels of communication in the public service,breach of unilateral and improper use of emergency procurement mode to procure vehicles.
The panel also came heavy on Hadiza for granting waivers,rebates, tariffs without requisite approved.