...FG justifies cancellation

The Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution, Okoi Obono-Obla, yesterday justified the termination of the Pilotage Agency Agreement between Intels Nigeria Limited and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Obono-Obla, who is also the chairman of Special Presidential Advisory Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, dismissed the claim of political undertone in the termination, adding that the ownership of the company is immaterial since it has corporate legal personality.

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), had in a letter dated September 27, 2017 to the Managing Director of the NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman, said that the pilotage agreement, which allowed Intels to receive revenue on behalf of NPA, and retain 28% as commission, violates the Nigerian Constitution.

In the letter titled: “Request for Clarification of Conflict Between Executed Agreement and Federal Government Treasury Single Account Policy,” the attorney general said: “I refer to your letter dated 31st May 2017, ref: MD/17/MF/ Vol.XX/583 in respect of the above subject matter wherein you sought clarification on the legal issues implicated by the continuous implementation of the Managing Agent Contract Agreement dated 11th February 2010 executed between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Intels Nigeria Limited for the provision of boats pilotage operations, in the light of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy.”

Malami said “all monies due to the NPA currently being collected by Intels and any other agents/third parties on behalf of NPA must henceforth be paid into the TSA or any of the sub-accounts linked thereto in the Central Bank of Nigeria (information of the account will be communicated in due course) in accordance with the TSA policy.”