The House of Representatives on
Tuesday directed the Minister of Transportation, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, and
other stakeholders to produce the documents on the $195million waterways
security contract awarded to an Israeli security firm, (HLSI Security Systems
and Technologies) within 72 hours.
The Federal Government had
approved the contract in October 2017 for waterways security.
The contract involves the
procurement of security equipment, training of the country’s security
operatives, particularly, the Navy, to combat waterways crimes.
The House resolved to probe the
contract after up to 10 civil society organisations petitioned against Amaechi.
They had observed that such
contracts could have security implications for the country by exposing its
waterways to foreign hands.
The House Committee on Public
Petitions chaired by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party from Abia State,
Mr. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, is investigating the contract.
A session convened at the
National Assembly in Abuja to investigate the issue was stalled on Tuesday after
lawmakers could not lay their hands on the contract papers.
Expressing the frustration of the
committee, Nkem-Abonta stated, “We have been demanding these documents and we
have received no responses. This is about the 8th hearing on this issue.
“If the contractual documents and
agreements cannot be produced within the next 72hours, we will be forced to
close this matter and make our recommendations to the House.”
Another member of the committee
from Lagos State, Mr. Rotimi Agunsoye, expressed displeasure over the
situation, saying that the House was being taken for granted.
“There is no point giving the
stakeholders extra 72 hours since tax payers’ money is involved. We should just
close the matter,” he said.
He argued that further giving the
stakeholders another 72 hours was a waste of parliamentary time.
However, Nkem-Abonta intervened,
urging his colleagues to give Amaechi one last chance with the 72-hour grace.
He added, “Let us still give them
the benefit of the doubt; after 72 hours we can close the matter.
“For now, my ruling is that all
relevant stakeholders should stay action in all activities pending the outcome
of House resolution on the issue.
“We have wasted so much
parliamentary time on this issue that we will close the matter immediately
after 72 hours.”
Meanwhile, Ameachi himself had
confirmed the contract in Lagos during the 2017 World Maritime Day, which had
the theme, ‘Connecting Ships, Ports and People.’
The minister gave details, “When
you see the equipment on the waterways, people will know they are safe and
secured. Mr. President has kindly approved that, and that is being done through
the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.
“In the three years, they will
train our Navy, our Army and our Police so that we can stop spending money
escorting boats and vessels on our waterways.
“Currently, Maersk told me they
spend between $15m and $18m annually to those escorting their vessels from one
point to another on our waterways. We should be able to deflate that by next
year so that people can do their businesses on our waterways without any fear
of being attacked or harassed.
“The Israelis have assured us
that after the training of our security operatives, such harassment and attacks
on our waterways will not happen again.
“They even said we should hold
them accountable if such harassment persists on our waterways after the
training. That is one achievement that has happened under our leadership in the
maritime sector.”
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