Anxiety as Enl Snubs Reps over Terminal ‘C’

Controversies and  anxieties last week trailed  the refusal of one of the nation’s terminal operators;  ENL Consortium to obey the outcome of the House of Representatives investigations into the controversial ownership of the Terminal ‘C’ at the Lagos Port Complex.
ENL Consortium presently operates both Terminals ‘C’ and ‘D’ at the nation’s premier port in Lagos, but the House of Representatives, after an intervention by a special committee had last year ordered  that the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) should return the controversial terminal to Michelle Nigeria Ltd.
All through last week, rumours of an impending clampdown on ENL were rife, even as it was confirmed that the House was set to cause uproar on account of the deadlock and outright disregard of its resolution on the matter.
Sources at the lower legislative chamber told Shipping Position Weekly that the marine transport committee was at a cross road on how to address the matter; especially since the matter was said to have been a subject of litigation between the two companies.
But another source disclosed that the Reps had written the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on October 14, 2008 intimate him about their resolution of  September 17, 2008, “when it  considered the report of the Committee on investigation into BPE’s concession of Apapa Seaport Terminal C and D and resolved; that BPE should strictly adhere to privatisation guidelines during and after transaction and b) That Terminal C be returned to Michelle Nigeria Ltd, as the emerged preferred bidders by virtue of ground rule 7 which states that no single bidder will be awarded more than one concession in Apapa Port Complex.”
However, the refusal of the Presidency, ENL and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to honour the House’s resolution is causing worries and the House of Reps is at across road.
But Shipping Position Weekly spoke with the chairman of Michelle Nigeria Limited, Mr Peter Okocha who disclosed that his company was waiting on what the law makers will do, because according to him, “investigations have been conducted and discoveries made that truly ENL was awarded the terminal in error”.
He expressed optimism that his company will take over the controversial terminal, no matter how long it takes.
However, several calls made to the executive vice chairman of ENL, Princess Vicky Hastrup remained unanswered.