We did not Defend Tompolo’s Maritime Security Contract — NIMASA

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has insisted that it did not defend the controversial maritime security contract that was awarded to Messrs Global West Vessel Specialist during the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan and Dr Ziakede Akpobokemi as the DG of the agency.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has insisted that it did not defend the controversial maritime security contract that was awarded to Messrs Global West Vessel Specialist during the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan and Dr Ziakede Akpobokemi as the DG of the agency.
Responding to media reports which emanated during the recent visit of the Acting Director General of the NIMASA; Mr. Haruna Baba Jauro to the Chief of the Naval Staff; Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas on 29th of September 2015, the agency in a statement issued in Lagos yesterday, argued that the DG was quoted out of context.
In the statement that was signed by its Head of Public Relations; Hajia Lami Tumaka, NIMASA stressed that: “But for the fact that the DG was quoted completely out of context, the Agency would have ignored these reports”.
Insisting that the NIMAS boss was misquoted, the spokesperson maintained that: “Mr. Haruna Jauro did not at any point during the said visit, or at any other fora for that matter, defend ‘Tompolo’s maritime security contract’,  because there is no such contract in the first place”
What the DG said and which should be put on record is that “Global West Vessel Specialists Limited (GWVSL) has an existing Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement with NIMASA wherein the vendor’s mandate involves procuring, bunkering and operating platforms on behalf of NIMASA on a Supply, Operate and Transfer (SOT) basis for a 10 year period as approved by the Federal Government in 2012 and it is presently in its third year”.
It stated further that, “according to Mr. Jauro, the vessels, which ownership will revert to NIMASA after the contract period, are manned by officials of NIMASA and personnel of the Nigerian Navy for the enforcement of the Agency’s mandate”.
This is not the same thing with a maritime security contract as many publications have alleged. It is therefore mischievous for anyone to allude that the Director General of NIMASA has defended a maritime security contract being executed by Tompolo on behalf of the Agency.
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Ibas also re-echoed this position at the same event when he said “we (Nigerian Navy) provide security, we arm those ships. The Nigerian Navy is fully manning those boats and we still do”, the statement concluded.