Of this sum, the firm was paid $7.5million (about N1.5 billion) last Thursday. The $27.5million balance (about N5.5 billion) balance is billed for payment soon. The top official was also needed in Lagos to pay NPA’s equity contribution of N120 million in Calabar Channel Management Limited, which was incorporated two years ago for the express purpose of securing the capital and maintenance dredging of the Calabar Port. He is due to return to the United Kingdom hospital soon after completing these assignments, to continue with his therapy. He has been on admission there in the past six months. It was gathered that the deft move to recall him was initiated by the former minister. His aim being to strengthen the hold of Calabar Channel Management Limited on the contract and safeguard his interest in Calabar Port before another minister and a new board are appointed. The Calabar Channel Management Limited is a partnership between NPA and Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company Limited, which belongs to a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator serving his second term in this dispensation. The firm was awarded the juicy contract for the capital dredging of the port last year on a silver platter. The contract did not allegedly pass through the usual procurement process as required by the Public Procurement Act 2007. The company had earlier secured the maintenance dredging of the same port in similar circumstances in 2013. Reliable sources said the former minister and the NPA board took advantage of the delay by the Buhari administration in appointing ministers and dissolving boards of parastatals to hatch the plan for the payment of the contractor and NPA’s share capital in the firm. These bills have remained unpaid since August last year when the contract was awarded. A former NPA Managing Director was said to have refused to succumb to pressure to make these payments or represent NPA on the board of Calabar Channel Management and that cost him his job. He had cited the irregularities that attended the contract award and the objections that followed as reasons for his refusal to budge. He also was weary of falling foul of the law given that there is a pending suit challenging the contract. NPA is the fourth defendant in the suit and is being represented by a legal team But his hard posture on the matter did not go down well with the then ruling PDP, which awarded the contract to one of their own. The NPA boss was consequently kicked out of office in the twilight of the Jonathan administration on this score. His removal was to pave the way for the entry of someone that would do the bidding of the PDP government. Investigations also revealed that $35milllion approved for the firm is for only two quarters. $20.5 million was okayed for the last quarter of 2014, while $14.5 million was approved for the first quarter of this year. The entire contract, billed to last for two years, is estimated at about N20 billion.. Stakeholders in the maritime industry are shocked that a former NPA Chairman, who was the first to condemn the attempt to manipulate the maintenance dredging contract in favour of Calabar Channel Management, did not raise a voice against the decision to make these payments.
Click photo to download; but you lied to me by Expdona aka finish gravity
Expdonaloaded blog;Click the photo to download aboki wey d suya by Expdona aka finish gravity
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