By Godwin Oritse

THE House of Representative Committee on Ports, Harbour and Waterways has vowed to probe recent extension granted to some concessionaires, describing the development as under the table deal.

In exclusive interview with Vanguard, Chairman of the committee, Dr. Patrick Asadu, said the extension would not go without probe and promised to correct the anomaly.

Asadu, who spoke at the just-concluded retreat for members of the committee, said the leadership of the National Assembly had asked the committee to do a holistic probe, with a view to saving time and money.

He explained that the House raised the issue and decided that a thorough investigation be carried out to know how monies realized from the port reform was spent.

He said:   “The House itself decided to take the issue to a level where it was raised on the floor, and a decision was taken by the whole House that a thorough investigation be carried out on how the port reform was done, how much was realized from the entire exercise and how these monies were managed or mismanaged.

“In the course of our investigation, the leadership of the House got wind of what happened and decided to carry out a holistic investigation on the issue.  Is it true there was port concession extension and how was it done?’’

House of Representatives

Recall that Dr Asadu expressed disappointment at the fact that the immediate past Managing Director of the NPA, Mr. Habeeb Abdullahi, had lied to the committee over the concession extension granted concessionaires.

The committee also threatened to order for the arrest of the former Chief Executive of the agency to explain his role in the entire concession extension.

It was also gathered that the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC, that was suppose to midwife the extension was, however, not carried along in the process.

The commission’s Director General, Mallam Aminu Diko, told Vanguard that the agency was aware of the extension granted some concessionaires, adding that the commission was not part of the arrangement.

Diko also said the commission was looking into the matter, adding that the commission would make a statement at the appropriate time.

He explained that there were processes for extension of concession agreements and that the commission was still studying the situation.

It will be recalled that the concession extension granted    six port terminal operators   generated controversies among stakeholders in the maritime industry, with many alleging that the extension did not follow due process.

Confirming the extension, former General Manager in charge of Public Affairs department of the Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA), Captain Ihenacho Ebubeogu, had said that ENL Tin-Can Island Container Port, (TICT), Josephdam, Port and Cargo, African Maritime Services, Port Terminal Operators Limited, (PTOL) and Ecomarine Marine in Calabar in Cross River State, had each been granted extension of their concession for another five years.