The Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) are presently on a collision course over unpaid charges for several abandoned oil rigs at various jetties across the country.
Our correspondent learnt that AMCON presently owes NPA an undisclosed sum, which sources said is running into billions of Naira for several oil rigs that were abandoned.
One of such oil rigs is known as Delta Queen, which is left at the INTELS jetty in Calabar, Cross Rivers State.
Another rig; Oritshetimiyin and one other have also been abandoned at the Marina jetty, Lagos by AMCON. The Assets Management Company took over possession of the oil rigs over unpaid debts which its owners owed some banks.
Management of Oil and Gas Servicing Company, Integrated Logistics Services (INTELS) had, at a stakeholders meeting held in Calabar drew the attention of NPA to the presence of an abandoned jack up oil rig, Delta Queen, which it said was impeding on its business in the area.
Head of Administration and General Services of INTELS, Mr. Chibuisi Onyebuike expressed the company’s displeasure over the continuous stay of the rig at INTELS jetty, which he claimed does not allow vessels to berth and this has led to loss of revenue.
He explained that the oil rig has in no small measure affected operations of the jetty, stressing that the other half of the jetty space has been littered with ship wrecks.
He said that the rig has taken over half of the meters length of the jetty adding that ships can no longer berth there.
He however appealed to the management of NPA to help in removing the wrecks.
Responding to the request, the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman said that management was looking into the issues of all abandoned oil rigs at the various jetties.
She expressed her displeasure over the nonchalant attitude of AMCON towards the issue, insisting that NPA was going to collect all charges from AMCON for all abandoned jack up oil rigs.
Though the actual amount was not disclosed, but an authoritative source said that the money owed was running into billions of naira.
However, the NPA boss assured INTELS that management was going to pursue the case with AMCON and make sure that the rig was removed.
She said: “You should write to AMCON and tell them to remove the oil rig. On our own part, we will do a follow up on this case to ensure that your jetty is free of any impediments to your operations.”
When contacted on phone AMCON Public Relations Officer (PRO), Jude Nwauzor said he was in Damaturu and that the reporter should forward the questions to him via email.
However, he failed to respond to the NPA allegations 24 hours after the questions were sent to him. All calls put to him on phone afterwards were also not answered.
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