‘Intels Politicising Rift With NPA Over TSA’

• ‘Intels Politicising Rift With NPA Over TSA’

The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala-Usman, on Tuesday denied that there was political colouration to the current rift between the NPA and the management of the Intels Nigeria Limited.

She accused Intels of deliberately failing to comply with the Federal Government’s directive on Treasury Single Account on all revenues collected on behalf of the government.

Addressing newsmen in Warri, Delta State, after a stakeholders’ meeting with Delta ports stakeholders, the NPA boss said that she was in the state to discuss with critical stakeholders and operators on how to bring commercial activities to ports in Delta and other states in the eastern zone.

She insisted that it was constitutional for revenue collected on behalf of the government to be paid to the TSA from where the NPA was expected to pay Intels for their services but the firm had deliberately refused to honour previous dialogue since 2016.

She noted that it was based on the refusal of Intels that the NPA board decided to seek the opinion of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, adding that Intels management violated the contract by not complying with sections 80 and 169 of the Constitution.

Bala-Usman said, “It’s evident that Intels declined to comply with the TSA where all revenues generated by the government are domiciled. Section 80 of the constitution clearly provides that revenues should come to the government. Intels collect revenues on behalf of the NPA but has declined that such revenue should be paid to the account of the government.”