Says: I Stand By My Choice Of Chairman
Even as major stakeholders in the nation’s maritime sector object to the composition of the port audit committee that was recently constituted by the minister of transport, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, the minister has insisted that he would not tinker with the committee, challenging anyone who has anything against its chairman to come forward and say so.
Some stakeholders; including a non-governmental organisation; the Maritime Industry Advocacy Initiative (MAIN) has pointed the attention of the minister to the fact that the chairman of the committee, Mr Chidi Ilogu; a maritime lawyer had in the past handled cases involving private terminal operators.
He is heading an eight-member committee to audit the nation’s four –year old port concession programme; whose assignment involve assessing the level of compliance with agreements that were entered into by both the Nigerian Ports Authourity and the terminal operators and also ascertain whether or not the exercise have been beneficial to the nation and shippers
But last week, the minister told Shipping Position Weekly that he was not ready to be stampeded by any agitation, even as he vouched for the integrity of Mr Ilogu.
“I have no doubt that he is a true Nigerian, I don’t believe he is a kind of person that will abandon national interests in pursuit of self interests, so, I have every confidence in him”, he declared.
He confirmed that he has read media reports calling his attention to the alleged irregularities, but he maintained that “people can write anything they want about individuals and personalities, but unless you have anything you don’t go into the press to challenge the integrity of people who have built reputation over time”.
On the allegation that Mr Ilogu had held the brief of some terminal operators and their associations, the minister explained that he allegation was not sufficient to cause Mr Ilogu his appointment.
“I challenge you to go and tell me a senior maritime lawyer in Nigeria today that has no business with private maritime-based firms, it is not possible. Remember, I personally said it on the day I was inaugurating that committee that it took me time to find out hose that can do this work”.
The non-governmental organisation which first called attention of the minister had faulted the composition of the ministerial committee on audit of port concession, saying that the minister may have been misled into choosing Mr Ilogu to head the group.
The group had never-the-less commended the intention of the minister to review port concession saying “constitution of a committee to audit the four-year old port concession is a welcome development. Even though coming a bit late, it is in line with the yearnings of majority of stakeholders; be they suppliers or users of shipping services. It is certainly, a step that all well-meaning stakeholders should commend”.
Applauding port concession as a success, MAIN had observed that “even though severely opposed by a cross-section of stakeholders when the idea was first mooted, is a success to the extent that it has largely positively impacted on cargo throughput, ships’ turn- around- time, reduced human traffic, enhanced safety of cargo”.
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