Provide Evidence For $5m Legal fees Payment, Senate Tells NIMASA

The Senate Public Account Committee has given a 48-hour ultimatum to the Nigerian Maritime Adminstration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to show a prove authorising payment of $5 million in legal fees for service not rendered.

The panel had invited the management of NIMASA to explain why the $5 million was paid for services not rendered. At the resumption of the committee meeting on the issue on Tuesday, the representative of NIMASA, Olamide Olusanya, told panel that the matter was in court.

But the committee rejected the submission and asked the agency to present information at its disposal on the payment of legal fees to the law firm.

The NIMASA representative told the lawmakers that the agency was directed by the then Attorney General of the Federation to pay $5 million for the legal fees.

The Chairman of the Committee, however, asked the representative of NIMASA to present any letter mandating it to pay $5 million for legal fees.

Responding to whether the Presidency directed the agency to pay the legal fees, the representative of the Director General said there was no such letter, adding that they only had a letter from the Senior Special Assistant to President on Administration authorising the payment.

The Chairman, therefore, ordered the agency to present documents relating to the payment by Thursday this week before the committee would take a final decision on the matter.

He said, “We need the details of the payment, you go back to your archives and bring it out. Also, let us know the transaction between you and the AGF before you paid the money".

A member of the Committee, Senator Abdullahi Danbaba, said there was no basis for making that payment, adding that the money should be recovered from the law firm.

It was revealed that the committee had invited NIMASA up to three times for an explanation for the payment of $5 million as a professional fee and details of the $9.3 billion loss by the Federal government, but the agency had declined the invitation. The chairman had then ordered that an arrest warrant be issued on the NIMASA boss at the last panel sitting.

Comments

Eze Uchendu Applauds Compt. Olomu's Outstanding Performance In Apapa

...Berates APMT For Lack of Capacity & Technicality ...Calls FG to Set Up Committee To Access APMT Operations In Nigeria The remarkable performance of the Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Customs command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu fsi has been commended by a renowned freight forwarder, the Chairman of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarder( NAGAFF), Apapa Chapter, Fowdr. Prince Eze Uchendu. Accessing the Apapa Command under the control of Compt. Olomu, the chairman applauded the resilience and doggedness of the area controller in all areas of operation, in his words, "I think for now we have a good controller, the person of controller, Babatunde Olomu, since his inception as the CAC Apapa, I can say Apapa Command has never had it so good, so I can score the Nigeria customs high In all fields of endeavour, the controller has been a moving controller, he's not a controller that stays in office. He comes to the terminals ...

KNIGHTS OF ST. JOHN (KSJI) TAKES A SWIPE AT BAD LEADERSHIPS IN NIGERIA

Maj. Gen. (Prof) Remy Uche, KSJI Supreme Subordinate President, Nigeria. As Christians all over the world marked the feast of the Passion of St. John the Baptist on August 29 commemoration of his beheading by King Herod for speaking up to the truth, the Knights of St. John International (KSJI) of the Roman Catholic Church has taken a swipe against which it described as obnoxious and draconian leaderships in many spheres of life in Nigeria. The Knights of St. John International (KSJI), a sodality organisation of men and women looked up to in the Roman Catholic Church as people of integrity, is not happy with the current situation in the country where leaders in some places are not serving expectedly. According to a press statement made by the KSJI leader in Nigeria (Supreme Subordinate President), Maj Gen. Remy Uche (Prof), and signed on his behalf, by his Chief of Staff, Sir Abuchi Anueyiagu, to mark the feast of the Passion of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint...

Breaking News: CBN Ordered To Immediately Suspend Enforcement Of Cuber-Security Levy

Hon. Tajudeen Abbass Speaker of the House of Representatives The House of Representatives has ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to immediately suspend the enforcement of the controversial cybersecurity levy. The House took this decision following a motion raised by Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda on behalf of all members. The House had expressed concern that the circular issued by the CBN could be misunderstood by Nigerians, it however, noted that the directive does not align with the principles outlined in section 44(2a) of the cybercrime Act regarding the recipients responsible for paying the levy. The House urged the CBN to promptly retract its previous circular regarding the levy’s enforcement and instead publish a new circular aligned with the Act’s provisions. The cybersecurity levy was introduced by CBN through a circular to all banks on May 6, 2024, in accordance with the stipulations of the cybercrime Act.

Maritimegistplus

Search This Blog