- Commends OMSL operation amidst protest
Chuks Okocha and Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The Senate wednesday confirmed the appointment of board chairmen and members of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) and the Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON).
Also, the Senate approved the budget of N11,594,920,847 for the National Communication Commission (NCC) on the Universal Service Provisions Fund and N140.3 billion for NCC in year 2020.
The confirmation of the chairman and board members of FIRS was sequel to the motion moved by the chairman of Senate committee on Finance, Solomon Adeola Olamilekan, who urged the Senate to receive and consider the report of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions. The Senate approved Mohammad Nami as FIRS chairman with others as board members.
Also, the Senate has approved and confirmed Edward Lametek Adamu as the chairman of the Board of AMCON.
The motion for the confirmation was moved by Senator Sani Abacha.
Meanwhile, Senate has endorsed the services of Ocean Marine Solutions limited (OSML) as a genuine and reliable private maritime logistics support company on the nation’s port securing the safety of ships waiting to berthing at the ports.
Senate’s endorsement of OSML operation followed adoption of all four recommendations by the joint ad hoc Senate committees on Marine Transport and Finance to investigate alleged fraud in the operation of OMSL on the nation’s waterways.
The committee recommended among others “that Ocean Marine Solutions Limited should be commended for his genuine national interest for investing over $400 million into the security and secured Anchorage Area in particular, that the Nigerian waterways in general by providing the needed platforms and logistics for the Nigerian Navy to effectively perform 2/47/365 patrol operations as well as to provide the required protection for vessels waiting to berth at the nation’s ports.
“That since no fraud is found in the operations of the OMSL and its operations at no cost to the government, OMSL should be allowed to continue its operations at the Safe Anchorage until such a time when a better and more cost effective system is put in place by the government.
“That the Nigerian Navy should be properly funded to enable it provide needed vessels to enable them carry out their constitutional responsibilities without over depending on private maritime logistics support companies (PMSC).”
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said Nigeria has no option but to stick to the deal that would continue to provide safety for ships berthing on Nigerian shores, thereby guaranteeing the nation’s aspiration to sustained increased revenue.
According to him, “I think we have a challenge here, which is, that, if we do not like what this company is doing we should bring our own. Until we are able to do that, I think we have to continue with the present arrangement.”
