HOUSE OF REPS MOVE TO BLOCK LOOPHOLES THAT SHORTCHANGE NIGERIA.
House of Representatives has reiterated commitment to block every loopholes that are exploited to shortchange Nigeria.
Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara stated this on Wednesday at a one day investigative public hearing on the process that led to the termination of the contract between the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Intelligence and Logistics Service Limited.
The Speaker who was represented by the Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Alhassan Doguwa said, the House is concerned with the contract of the managing agent for monitoring and collection of revenue from service Boats operations in the pilotage districts between the two parties.
He added that the public hearing will help the house acquire relevant information that would enable it amend the existing laws of the subject that is not favourable to Nigeria and its citizenry.
House of Representatives correspondent, Linda Ike reports that the speaker further disclosed that the primary intention of the investigation is to determine and examine if the process that led to the termination of the contract followed due process
However the Chairman of the adhoc committee, Hon. Pally Iriase noted that he notice of the termination of the contract entered into by government and other parties will have multiple effects on the perception of the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
He said, the committee shall rely on the submissions already made by the key stakeholders, relevant professional bodies and the public which would greatly assist the committee conclude the investigation and produce meaningful report to the constitution of the House.
In the meantime, the Representative of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Usman explained to the committee that non compliance of remittance of Federal Government funds into the Treasury Single Account by INTEL constituted to the process that led to the termination of its contract, affirming that the Nigerian Ports Authority wants to ensure there’s no gap in revenue collection.
She added that, INTEL should not be the one to determine what to remit to the Federal Government.
The lawmakers therefore frowned at the absence of INTEL key officers at the hearing, saying, the organization should be reprimanded for taking the affairs of the country for granted.
The House however, rejected INTEL’s Legal Supervisor, Mr Kenneth Irabor who was on ground to represent the organization, insisting that he does not have the capacity to represent the organization considering the enormity of the matter.