Osoba Queries Senate’s Allegation on 282 Missing Ships against NPA

By Eromosele Abiodun

The former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba, has disclosed that some entrenched interests are behind the allegations that 282 vessels got missing under the watch of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) between 2010 and 2016 by the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff.

Osoba who stated this in a chat with newsmen in Lagos at the weekend, stressed that Nigeria cannot move forward if leaders at all levels refuses to embrace change and accept that things cannot continue the way they were.

He said his is aware that the management of the NPA is currently doing a forensic audit that will reveal what went wrong and under whose watch. He calling on Nigerians to disregard unfounded allegations tailored to spit.

According to him, “Hadiza, I can tell you is doing forensic auditing of what anybody is claiming and when you do forensic audit and you insist on compliance to due process you are bound to have head on collision with entrenched interest. Entrenched interests are the major problem that she is facing in the NPA.

“I can tell you that the problem in Nigeria is that we do what is unnecessary. For example, dredging, dredging of our waterways the way we are approaching it is not the right thing. We have deep-sea off-shore that is why we are losing to countries like Togo and Benin Republic. They are using their deep-sea offshore of their countries and a lot of ships prefer to go and berth there. The more you dredge the more environmental problem you create for Lagos state. Lagos itself is below sea level and that is why you have this flood. Anytime the water rises, it creates problem for Lagos and the coaster areas.”

Speaking on the effort by the NPA to stamp out monopoly from the maritime sector, he said the move was timely and will save the country from inefficiency.

He said: “I totally support her! Monopoly anywhere in the world creates inefficiency but where you have competition in any sphere of life, you create efficiency and better practices. The only thing is that I know that it is not easy to want to do things right. We Nigerians we are a country that was developed on falsehood, corruption and malpractices.

“I praise her courage; it is not easy to face established system. I can tell you confidently that recently I met with one of our governors and Hazida was on television and the governor was asking me as an operator how she was doing and I told him she was doing well and the governor jokingly said, “She would not be the true daughter of her father if she behaved otherwise.”

On the relationship between operators and the NPA, Osoba said: “I must confess to you that there have been changes, before now there was a lot of lobbying, manipulations, begging. Now I don’t need to bother my head or appeal or starts lobbying the management of the NPA. Now whatever is due to us is done in an efficient manner and fortunately, we also have a relationship with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) who is the custodian of the Treasury Single Account (TSA). Whenever our payment is approved we get paid. That has created a situation where we can now be able to develop equipment and create high efficiency in the business.”