The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has denied allegations of financial misappropriation leveled against its management by a maritime journal (not SHIPS & PORTS), stating that it was never indicted by a report of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
The maritime journal had accused the Hadiza Bala Usman-led NPA management of misappropriating N5.18 billion between 2016 and 2018.
This misappropriation was said to have been discovered during an audit of the agency.
But in a statement by its General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Engr. Jatto Adams, NPA described the report as false.
The agency said it has satisfactorily answered audit queries from the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation in past years, adding that it has not received any query on the issues raised.
It assured Nigerians of its commitment to obeying laws guiding the operations of government
“The attention of the Nigerian Ports Authority has been drawn to online media stories about some audit reports purportedly indicting the management of the authority over monies running into billions of Naira.
“The Authority hereby states without equivocation that these reports are false and without foundation. While audit queries are part of the standard operating procedures to entrench accountability in government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the NPA has, at this moment, not received queries of the nature being circulated in the media.
“The management of the authority has answered audit queries to the satisfaction of the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation in past years and is committed to providing evidence that all our operations have followed due process in the event of any queries in the future.
“The Authority assures all Nigerians of its commitment to obeying the extant laws guiding the operations of government MDAs,” Jatto said.