The suspended Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Yusuf, has denied involvement in the suspension of Intels’ contract with the authority.
In a statement on Sunday, she said the allegations published in some online news platforms that she revoked licenses of NPA contractors and caused huge losses in the nation’s maritime sector.
According to her, she has explained the circumstances surrounding the disengagement of Intels several times
Bala-Usman said, “Although the story claimed that the alleged frustration was meted out to contractors. It had no other instance to cite than the already overstated and repeatedly explicated case of Integrated Logistics Services Limited.
“For the sake of the generality of Nigerians, whom I owe an explanation for whatever steps I take in the service of the nation, I present the truth of the INTELS story as follows.
“Neither I nor the Nigerian Port Authority disobeyed any court order in the matters involving INTELS or any other company for that matter.
“As a corollary to this, there was no court order existing at the time of the expiration of the boat pilotage contract between the NPA and INTELS by on August 8, 2020.
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“I should also state that this contract was not terminated.
“For the records, INTELS was engaged as managing agents of the authority for oil industry-related activities in the compulsory pilotage district within the Exclusive Economic Zone of Nigeria.
“This contract commenced in June 2007 with a review of an extension of 10 years in 2011 to culminate in August 2020.
“The Authority had in 2017, served INTELS with a notice of termination for its refusal to comply with the Treasury Single Account policy of the Federal Government.
“Following the receipt of the termination notice, the company complied with the policy. A supplemental agreement was signed to recognise the compliance to TSA and the notice of termination was accordingly withdrawn.”
