The Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) said it has initiated action towards recovery of over $20million belonging to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and trapped in Heritage Bank.
Head, Media and Communications of the panel, Lucie-Ann Member Laha in a statement Thursday in Abuja explained that “the said money is unremitted revenue of NPA domiciled in Heritage Bank PLC”.
According to the statement, also to be recovered are several hectares of land and houses belonging to the NPA in Lagos, Delta, Rivers and Cross River States, “which have been illegally taken over or encroached upon by squatters and unscrupulous disengaged public officers”.
The Presidential Panel led by its chairman, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla recalled how it had previously recovered part of Agura Hotel, “which had been fraudulently annexed by some persons and agencies for the NPA also.
“In a related development, the Presidential Panel recently arrested, released on bail, and is prosecuting a serving Senator and APC gubernatorial candidate for lmo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, for failure to execute a contract for the dredging of the Calabar Channel by his company Niger Global Services, years after collecting over 12 Million Dollars for the project, from the NPA.
“Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property remains committed to supporting government in its fight against corruption in the area of recovery of illegally acquired assets”.
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