Senate investigates NPA over N177bn unremitted fund

Warri port dredging to gulp N50bn – Usman
Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala Usman

Senate on Wednesday resolved to probe the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) over an alleged unremitted N177 billion, mandating its committee on Marine Transport to determine within three days if the agency is in custody of the fund.

A member of the committee, Mohammed Hassan (PDP, Yobe South), called the attention of his colleagues to the alleged non-remittance of the fund by NPA during plenary.

He noted that the agency in 2017 made a gross revenue of N303 billion, out of which N125 billion was spent but the remaining N177 billion was not remitted to the Federal Government.

Hassan said the management of the agency had rebuffed every move by the Senate to ascertain the whereabouts of the fund.

Hassan said, “NPA recorded a gross revenue of N303 billion.

“Meanwhile, its expenditure for that year was N125 billion. Therefore, there is an N177 billion operating surplus that was recorded. Not a single dime was reported to have been remitted either to the consolidated revenue fund or to the general reserve fund. We raised this with the management of NPA. Till today, seven months after, we have not heard from them.

“The question is, where is this N177 (billion)? It has not been reported, we have not heard from them seven months after.”

In his contribution, Committee Chairman, Ahmed Yerima, said Hassan ought to have brought up the issue at the committee level and not plenary. His position was corroborated by Mao Ohabunwa.

In granting Hassan’s prayer, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, ruled that the committee look into the issue and give a report within the next three days.