Fg Threatens To Scrap Nimasa Over Fraud, Scraps Maritime Varsity

Source: thewillnigeria.com

BEVERLY HILLS, January 19, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has expressed its intention to approach the National Assembly to repeal the Act setting up the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) over misappropriation of funds and outsourcing its core responsibility.

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said this in Abuja on Tuesday, when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Marine Transport on activities of the agencies under his supervision.

Amaechi, while berating the agency for contracting a private company to carry out its core functions, said the government would rather scrap the agency and engage the contractor directly.

He revealed that his visit to NIMASA proved that the agency was doing nothing, adding that only three doctors and a stethoscope were found in its search and rescue centre as the agency was only just installing the instrument that could be used to locate vessels whenever there is an accident.

Amaechi disclosed that the ministry would carry out an audit of all agencies and parastatals under the ministry, adding that NIMASA makes N63billion yearly but refunds nothing to government.

“So, what happened to all the money that they have been making yearly, NIMASA makes N63 billion annually, what happened to that money?” he queried.

He also revealed that the Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Delta State, proposed by former President, Goodluck Jonathan had been scrapped and government was seeking refund of already released funds to the contractors.

He posited that other maritime institutions of the Federal Government could be upgraded to university, adding that going ahead with the project is a waste of resources.