The House of Representatives has instituted a probe into Nigerian Maritime Authority and the Security Service(NIMASA).

The House alleged that the directors of NIMASA were involved in cases of fake contract awards, mismanagement of billions of naira, and lopsided activities.

The development led to the House setting up an ad hoc committee to complete its inquiry and report back to it for further legislative action within three months.

The resolution adopted on Wednesday proposed the “Need to Investigate Alleged Fictitious Contract Awards, Gross Mismanagement of Billions of Naira and Lopsided Placement of Directors by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.”

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The motion was moved by Honourable Kingsley Chinda, Honourable Victor Ogbuzor, Honourable Cyril Hart, Honourable Manu Soro, and Honourable Manuchim Owuzuirike.

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Chinda said:

“There have been several allegations of questionable, inflated and fictitious contract awards, particularly for non-operational speed boats, security surveillance contracts and Deep Blue Water contract, revenue leakages and the award of contracts to cronies of the Director General and other top management staff of the agency.”

He expressed concern over the possible exchange of debts of shipping companies to the state with the connivance or connivance of NIMASA.

He said:

“We are aware that the agency is alleged to have entered into a very dubious contract with a firm known as XPO Marine Limited, for the lease of six-speed boats, each at the rate of $173,930.00 monthly, without a needs assessment for such facility being carried out by the relevant departments of the agency.

“The said XPO Marine Limited had earlier been indicted for defrauding the agency to the tune of $80,000 in revenue.”