Oil Subsidy probe: NPA Provides Missing Link, Denies Knowledge of import documents for 14 Oil firms

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) may   have provided a vital link in the on going probe into the administration of oil subsidy in the country  as its managing director, Engr Omar Suleiman told the ad hoc committee that it only had  manifest for importation of petroleum products by 14 oil companies that benefitted from subsidy payments.
The committee headed by Hon Farouk Lawan is currently taking evidences from 17 of the firms that didn’t benefit from its first leg of investigations.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) may   have provided a vital link in the on going probe into the administration of oil subsidy in the country  as its managing director, Engr Omar Suleiman told the ad hoc committee that it only had  manifest for importation of petroleum products by 14 oil companies that benefitted from subsidy payments.
The committee headed by Hon Farouk Lawan is currently taking evidences from 17 of the firms that didn’t benefit from its first leg of investigations.
When he appeared before the committee last week, the managing director of NPA told the committee that even though there are 17 companies, records in its custody can only confirm that that only three firms actually imported petroleum products into the country.
 Shipping Position Daily correspondent who was at the hearing confirmed that the NPA boss told the law makers that NPA is the custodian of all manifest of ships that call in all Nigerian ports.
“If an importation is made, 21 days before the arrival of the vessel, NPA will be notified of arrival of the vessel and a manifest will be made. Presently we have record for only three of the companies.”
According to him, “all vessels are recorded in our manifest because they use our channels to discharge their cargoes.”
Speaking when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on fuel subsidy, NPA Managing Director, Omar Suleiman, said the agency can only produce import manifest for only three of the 17 oil companies invited by the panel.
 He confirmed that if all the 17 companies imported fuel into the country, the manifests of the ship that brought in the products would be in the custody of all NPA.
And apparently surprised at the weight of the information and the vital clue that Suleiman had dropped in their laps, the committee members took turn to seek further clarifications.  
Chairman of the committee who summed up the members position, told the NPA boss that “what you are saying is a very weighty issue because if it is true, that means 14 companies got payment without importing fuel.”
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