The House of Representatives has issued summons to key government officials over alleged irregularities in the concession of port infrastructure. Minister of Blue Economy Gboyega Oyetola, Transportation Minister Saidu Alkali, and other top officials, including Mohammed Koko of the Nigeria Ports Authority, Mamman Ahmadu of the Bureau of Public Enterprise, and Michael Ohiani of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, are called to testify before the Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation.
Chairman Ibrahim Hamisu expressed disappointment at the absence of these officials, emphasizing the urgency to address concerns regarding port terminal concessions. He underscored the need to attract investments into critical port infrastructure while ensuring transparency and accountability.
Hamisu outlined that the concession renewal process for five seaport terminals had lingered for over five years, causing substantial revenue loss to the government. The committee demanded relevant documents from stakeholders and set a deadline for submission.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Hamisu stressed the necessity to investigate why certain companies continued operations without valid concession renewals. The affected terminals include Port and Cargo Terminal, ENL Consortium Terminal C, ENL Consortium Terminal D, Josepdam Terminal, and AMS Terminal.
The committee mandated the summoned officials to appear on March 12 to provide explanations and find lasting solutions to the issue. Hamisu reiterated the committee’s commitment to resolving the matter in the nation’s interest and warned of consequences for those responsible for the irregularities.
