Reps to probe NIMASA over contracts, mismanagement

The House of Representatives has resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate allegations of fictitious contracts awards, lopsided p..

The House of Representatives has resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate allegations of fictitious contracts awards, lopsided placements and mismanagement of funds by the Nigerian Mạritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

This followed the adoption of a motion moved by Kinsley Chinda, Mansur Manu Soro and three others at the plenary on Wednesday.

In the motion, the lawmakers alleged that there were awards of questionable and phony contracts, fraudulent forex transactions, lopsided placement of directors and other unwholesome and corrupt practices in NIMASA.

The motion states, “There have been several allegations of questionable, inflated and fictitious contract awards, particularly for non-operational speed boats, security surveillance contracts and Deep Blue Water contract, revenue leakages and the award of contracts to cronies of the director general and other top management staff of the agency.

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“The agency is alleged to have entered into a very dubious contract with a firm known as XPO Marine Limited’ for the lease of six speed boats, each at the rate of $173,930.00 monthly, without a Need Assessment for such facility being carried out by the relevant departments of the agency, the said XPO Marine Limited had earlier been indicted for defrauding the agency to the tune of $80,000 in revenue.

“The security surveillance contract called Deep Blue Water Contract’ is suspected to be a conduit by the management of the agency to pilfer funds. A security contract tagged National Integrated Surveillance and Waterways Protection’ is also said to have been awarded to an Israeli firm, HSLI Systems and Technologies Limited at the cost of $195,300,000.00, despite an existing facility, which is a simple internet subscription via Lloyds Intelligence Platform for such operations”.

The House adopted the motion and resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the allegations and report back within three months for further legislative action.