FG TO AUDIT PORT CONCESSION

Strong indications emerged last week that the Federal Government is considering a total audit of the four- year old port concession, even as anxieties are once again sweeping through the fold of the private terminal operators.
Hints of government’s intention to audit the programme was given by a top official of the ministry of transport who confirmed that government is not particularly impressed by the way the terminal operators and the Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA), are handling the programme.
Specifically, the audit is expected to focus on the various terms of agreement that were reached between NPA and the Bureau of Public Enterprises, (BPE), and the concessionaires on the other hand. It is also expected to appraise the extent of fulfilment of obligations on the part of the private terminal operators, the extent of provision and maintenance of common user facilities, among others.
“The honourable minister is convinced that NPA has lost its control of the situation and he is determined to ensure, not only that the terms of the concession agreements are adhered to, but also to determine the extent of compliance with extant provisions”, he confided in our correspondent last week.
He, however, insisted that the exercise is not a probe, “but a simple attempt to ensure that no one is sleeping”.
Although, details and modalities for the exercise is not yet made public, our sources hinted that the minister of transport, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman is said to have bought the idea of taking a  second look at the four year old exercise which saw NPA losing its core function as master stevedore to private terminal operators.
The ministry official’s hint was also corroborated by top personnel of NPA who however expressed doubt about the sincerity of the intention of the ministry.
According to him, “NPA has always met its obligations and has also perfectly monitored the activities of port concessionaires. So I am at a loss as to why the ministry wants to embark on the probe, we have always been under the threat of imminent probe, but NPA is never afraid”.
The minister is reported as having told confidants and some aides of his determination to look into the workings of port concession and that the recent constitution of a task force to examine port charges and efficiency is a step towards the imminent audit.