House of Representatives Summons Minister Over Port Concession Controversy

The House of Representatives has taken a decisive step by summoning key government officials, including the Minister of Blue Economy and Transport, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, to address concerns regarding the handling of port infrastructure concession in Nigeria.

Rep. Ibrahim Hamisu, Chairman of the House Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, made this announcement during a meeting with seaport terminal operators in Abuja. Expressing reservations about the methodology employed in the concession process, Hamisu emphasized the importance of addressing the issues at hand.

In addition to Minister Oyetola, other officials summoned include the Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Mr. Muhammed Koko, the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprise, Mr. Mamman Ahmadu, and the Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Mr. Michael Ohiani.

Hamisu underscored the consequences of the flawed concession process, noting that five companies have been operating without the renewal of their operating licenses for three years, resulting in significant revenue loss for the Federal Government.

Highlighting the urgency of the situation, the chairman emphasized the imperative of addressing the prolonged renewal process to attract investments into critical port infrastructure. He stated, “What is outstanding in concluding the process that started over 5 years ago is the execution of the negotiated Supplementary Agreements for the respective terminals.”