Hadiza Bala Usman: I Didn’t Disobey Court Order
Hadiza Bala Usman, suspended Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), on Sunday dismissed claims that she allegedly frustrated contractors working with NPA.
Usman, in a statement she personally signed, urged members of the public who she said she owed an explanation to dismiss the claims, saying the rumours were being peddled by mischief-makers.
The suspended MD of NPA was reacting to an online publication that alleged that she unlawfully frustrated NPA contractors, causing huge losses in the maritime sector.
“For the sake of the generality of Nigerians, whom I owe an explanation for whatever steps I take in the service of the nation, I present the truth of the INTELS story as follows: Neither I nor the Nigerian Ports Authority disobeyed any court order in the matters involving INTELS or any other company for that matter.
“As a corollary to this, there was no court order existing at the time of the expiration of the boat pilotage contract between the NPA and INTELS by August 8, 2020.
“I should also state that this contract was not terminated, contrary to claims by Sahara Reporters.
“For the records, INTELS was engaged as Managing Agents of the Authority for oil industry related activities in the compulsory pilotage district within the Exclusive Economic Zone of Nigeria.
“This contract commenced in June 2007 with a review of an extension of 10 years in 2011 to culminate in August 2020.
“The Authority had in 2017, served INTELS with a notice of termination for its refusal to comply with the Treasury Single Account policy of the Federal Government.
“Following the receipt of the termination notice, the company complied with the policy. A supplemental agreement was signed to recognise the compliance to TSA and the notice of termination was accordingly withdrawn.
“In compliance with the Public Procurement Act, the Authority in Dec 2019 initiated a public tender (contrary to Sahara Reporters’ falsehood) process in anticipation of the expiration of the contract in August 2020. This was for the appointment of a contractor to provide the Authority with that service.
“INTELS, alongside other companies submitted bids to qualify for the tender in line with the criteria spelled out in the public advert. INTELS violated one of the criteria advertised for the tender process and was accordingly disqualified.
“The tender process proceeded accordingly and the companies that scored the highest were prequalified. The outcome of the transparent tender process was forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Transportation for onward transmission to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for its consideration.
“Upon disqualification from the tender process, INTELS initiated a court action to prevent the Authority from proceeding with the tender process citing a debt owed one of their sister companies, Deep Offshore Nigerian Ltd, for the development of Onne 4B. This is an amortization project which payment should be derived from the revenue raised from this service. There was no provision in the contract to the effect that INTELS must be the company carrying out the boat pilotage contract, but they have continued to hold the country to ransom through this court case.”
