· Denies resignation pressure
Teddy Oscar, Abuja
The speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, expressed displeasure on the nation’s maritime sector, saying that the sector is suffering from the cancer of ineptitude.
Tambuwal, who, on Tuesday, decried the abandonment of the maritime sector, however, observed that the sector lacks the competence needed to handle due to poor regulatory framework.
According to the speaker, who spoke on the occasion of ‘Investigative Hearing on Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund’ organised by the House Ad Hoc Committee on Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), the desired salutary effect has not been seen in the volume of cabotage business in Nigeria.
He, however, allayed fears that the investigation was not meant to witch-hunt any group or individual.
“Over the years, our maritime sector has suffered from the cancer of ineptitude, occasioned by poor regulatory framework. In 2003, the National Assembly passed the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act principally to provide the necessary legal framework and enabling operating environment for the sector to the advantage of Nigeria.
“However, despite the enactment of that law, the Nigerian Inland Waterways has remained grossly a wasteland for the national economy. The desired salutary effect has not been seen in the volume of cabotage business in Nigeria. The fear is that some unpatriotic people are misapplying the Cabotage Vessel Financing Funds to the detriment of its objectives,” Tambuwal alleged.
In his speech, Christopher Eta, chairman of the committee, wondered what impact the creation of CVFF has made in the life of indigenous shipping matters since a decade of its creation.
“Can it be said that the vision of the nation in setting up the CVFF has been realised? With the current status of the fund and its current mode of its administration, would that vision be realisable? Are there structural challenges encountered in the operation of the fund, which are adversely affecting its objectives?” he asked rhetorically.
Eta reminded all Nigerians that they are duty bound to ensure that Nigeria does not remain perpetually in the backwater of maritime activities, especially in the cabotage sector.
“It is our objective to give life to indigenous shipping in the cabotage sector and also ensure that the Cabotage Act 2003 is given the desired effectiveness. For the avoidance of doubt, the hearing has nothing to do with any which-hunting of any person. We must, however, not shy away from doing what is right,” he added.
In his presentation, Idris Umar, minister of transport, hinted that inflows of CVFF from third parties is N32,143,192,716.39; less direct payment to consultants from source is N1,432,569,170.66; net balance of inflow, after direct payment to consultants is N30,710,623,545.73.
“Then, funds released to the Primary Lending Institutions (PLIs) as at 1st May 2013… the banks have been listed: Fidelity Bank, Skye Bank, Diamond Bank and Sterling Bank with the details provided. The total amount is N17,580,474,249.39; funds yet to be released to the PLIs… the banks are mentioned there: Access Bank Plc, Guarantee Trust Bank, Mainstream Bank, Keystone Bank, and the total is N3,227,544,868.46,” he added.
Meanwhile, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has denied any rumours that he is under pressure to resign his appointment.
Tambuwal, whose reaction came through a statement issued in Abuja by his special adviser on media and public affairs Mallam Imam Imam, followed a newspaper of Tuesday, October 8, 2013.
According to the statement, such false story was not surprising to see, giving the fact that they are coming from their detractors.
He, however, assured Nigerians that the House is focused on delivering its constitutional mandate as promised.
“The story of the purported resignation, as published in the Nigerian Pilot Newspaper of Tuesday, October 8, 2013, is not true, and for all intents and purposes, is part of a larger campaign to smear the person and integrity of the Number Four Citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The story did not come as a surprise considering that it is one in a line of similar fabricated stories dished out about Tambuwal by Pilot Newspaper for sometimes now.
“While we don’t want to believe that the owners of the newspaper have allowed their platform to be used for a smear campaign on the legislature and its principal officers, we are constrained to say that allowing falsehood to be published in the guise of truth takes seeking-relevance (by the paper) too far.
“We want to assure Nigerians that the leadership of the House of Representatives is ever focused on delivering its constitutional mandate and will not be distracted by the antics of those who have something to hide.
“Speaker Tambuwal and his colleagues won’t resign their appointments and they won’t be distracted from their stated goals,” it added.
