The House of Representatives yesterday ordered the suspension of inland water dredging contracts awarded by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) pending the outcome of investigations into the projects.
The House had adopted a motion for the suspension on the grounds that NPA spends unjustified $1 billion yearly on dredging management and water channels.
A member of the House, Herman Hembe, who moved the motion, accused NPA of awarding the contracts to private companies who lack the capacity to carry out the projects.
While addressing the House he said: “The issue here Mr Speaker is that NPA spends billions of dollars on these dredging contracts. What we hear is that most of the private companies that are contracted to do the dredging are not equipped and they don’t have the capacity to deliver.
“The award of further dredging contracts by the NPA should be suspended pending the outcome of an investigation to be conducted into the matter by the House Committee on Marine Transport,” Hembe added.
The lawmakers had unanimously endorsed the motion directing the Committee on Marine Transport to review all the agreements NPA signed with the dredging contractors with a view to establishing if they were qualified to be awarded the contracts.
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