Concessionaires at Loggerheads with NPA Management over Debt Recover

Efforts by the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), led by Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, to recover the huge indebtedness by port concessionaires are facing stiff resistance from port concessionaires THISDAY investigations have revealed

A competent source who do not want his name in print told THISDAY that some port concessionaires have commenced plot to create chaos in the port system and smear Bala-Usman’s image and ultimately unseat her.

The concessionaires, THISDAY gathered have enlisted the services of some operators and others to churn out information capable of creating disaffection in the system and create bad-blood in the port sector.

Bala Usman had on assumption of duty declared that her mandate would be “to block revenue leakages, enforce efficiency, transparency and accountability.”

Debt profile assessment in NPA revealed that the authority is being owed over N30billion by key operators and some other players’ operators.

Hadiza equally discovered that many of the concessionaires flagrantly breach the concession agreement, and insisted that they have to remit their throughput fees and other levies in dollar denomination as stipulated in the concession agreement.

Consequently, she urged the debtors to pay up or face sanction directed the NPA’s account section to recover the debts so as to boost the nation’s revenue profile.

THISDAY checks revealed that many of the concessionaires are contesting the NPA’s right to charge Value Added Tax (VAT) on services provided by the authority.

Some industry stakeholders told THISDAY that they are not surprised that there is an orchestrated plan to derail the vision of the NPA leadership by creating distraction and laying landmines.

THISDAY findings revealed that while there is a gang-up among some concessionaires against Hadiza and the