$300m debts: Reps threaten 12 shipping firms with arrest

The House of Representatives Committee on Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has threatened 12 shipping firms with arrests over $300m allegedly unremitted to the government since 2004.

The lawmakers also vowed to hand over the defaulting companies to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) if they failed to remit their indebtedness to NIMASA before 20 November, 2018.

The Chairman of the Umar Bago (APC, Niger), Abuja yesterday.

He wondered indigenous firms committee, said this in why the affected would collect the revenues from foreign shipping lines on behalf of Nigeria but refuse to remit.

“We have been told that some of the defaulters want to close their companies, open new ones and continue the same business. We are cooperating with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and EFCC, and we can issue bench warrants against them unless they remit before 20 November, 2018,” Chairman Bargo said.

The unremitted revenue is said to have accrued from 3% levied on all cargos coming into Nigeria, which are collected by the receiver companies on behalf of NIMASA.

According to the committee, the defaulting companies include GAC Shipping Ltd., Daddo Maritime Services, Blue Sea Transocean Shipping.

Others are Mearsk Nigeria Ltd., Hull Blythe, CGM-Delmas Nigeria Ltd., JoeEboje, Peak Shipping, and Al Raine Nigeria Ltd.

Responding, the Finance Manager of GAC Shipping Ltd., Mr. Rafiu Adesola, said his company’s indebtedness to NIMASA is only $3m, contrary to the agency’s claim of $172m.

Although Mr. Churchil Chukwuemeka of Inchcape Shipping owned up to the $6.4m owed by his company, he said after reconciliation with NIMASA, their current indebtedness stand at $1.4m.

The Committee resumes hearing on November 20, 2018. Marine, Services, Divine and Marine, Inchcape