The federal government of Nigerian has directed the Nigerian Ports
Authority (NPA) to terminate the boats pilotage monitoring and
supervision agreement that the agency has with Intels Nigeria Limited, a
company co-owned by former vice president Atiku Abubakar.
Authority (NPA) to terminate the boats pilotage monitoring and
supervision agreement that the agency has with Intels Nigeria Limited, a
company co-owned by former vice president Atiku Abubakar.
Government says the contract with Intels, a leading integrated logistics
and facilities services provider in the maritime and oil and gas
logistics sectors of the country, was void ab initio.
Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mallam
Abubakar Malami (SAN), in a letter dated September 27, 2017 to the
Managing Director of the NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, said that the
agreement, which has allowed Intels to receive revenue on behalf of NPA
for 17 years, violates the Nigerian Constitution, in view of the
Treasury Single Account (TSA).
Intels, also co-owned by Mr. Gabriel Volpi, an Italian national who also
has Nigerian citizenship, will lose several millions of dollars in the
cancelled deal.
In the maritime industry, pilotage is compulsory for all ships of 35
metres overall length or greater unless a valid Pilotage Exemption
Certificate is held by the ship’s master. In return for the service,
ship owners/companies are required to pay a pilotage fee, which Intels
collects on NPA’s behalf and retains 28 per cent of the revenue as
commission for the services rendered.
Some think the latest action is politics against Atiku, to reduce his financial influence for 2019.
