The House of Representatives on Thursday mandated its Committees on Marine and institutions and Public Procurement to immediately start a probe on alleged $195, 500.000 security contract allegedly awarded to an Israeli outfit to man Nigeria’s waterways by the Ministry of Transportation.Both committees are expected to submit their report within the next three weeks after concluding their investigations.
This was based on a petition brought to the floor of the House under matters of public importance tagged Urgent Need to Probe $195m Security contract awarded by the Ministry of Transportation promoted by Hon Benjamin Kalu, APC, Abia.
Recall that the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions had carried out a similar investigative hearing on same matter based on a petition submitted by a Non-Governmental Organisation in 2017.
Kalu in his submission averred that “the amount if converted to naira is over N93billion and there is urgent need to investigate the matter because the money used in paying the Israeli security company was borrowed and it will be due for repayment by June 2020.
He said out of the $95m, NIMASA sourced $30,400,000 without consulting the National Assembly for endorsement.
Copiously citing various Sections of the constitution about powers of NASS on money matters,the Abia lawmaker declared that due process was not followed and that there’s need to probe the matter further.
He recalled that the eighth Assembly had carried out a similar probe on the alleged contract scam in 2018.
Kalu while rounding up his debate noted that “what is meant for Nigerians should be spent for Nigerians because the security of the Nigerian waterways can’t be placed in the hands of foreigners.
At this point, Hon Obinna Chidoka moved that an amendment should be made to reflect that public procurement and Marine committees should handle the matter.
The Presiding Officer, Idris Wase moved for its adoption and it was adopted by the House.
Wase said the motion needs no debate and the House voted and adopted it.
Recall that ten NGOs in 2017 petitioned the ministry, the petition entitled: ‘Petition on the ceding of Nigerian coastal waterways to HLSI Security Firms and Technologies and commercialisation of the Nigerian Navy to Shorefac Consortium Ltd.
This is an abberation to our Sovereignty to National Security: Ceding our waterways and the critical national assets therein to foreign firms will definitely undermine the constitutional role of the Nigerian armed forces as prescribed by law and expose our nation to glaring security risks and ridicule among the comity of nations.”
They appealed to the Speaker to investigate the $195m contract particularly the procurement process leading to the pick of the said company.
