$195m contract: Reps give Amaechi 72 hours to produce documents

The House of Representatives on Tuesday directed the Minister of
Transportation, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, and other stakeholders to
produce the documents on the $195million waterways security contract
awarded to an Israeli security firm, (HLSI Security Systems and
Technologies) within 72 hours.

The Federal Government had approved the contract in October 2017 for
waterways security.

The contract involves the procurement of security equipment, training
of the country's security operatives, particularly, the Navy, to
combat waterways crimes.

The House resolved to probe the contract after up to 10 civil society
organisations petitioned against Amaechi.

They had observed that such contracts could have security implications
for the country by exposing its waterways to foreign hands.

The House Committee on Public Petitions chaired by a member of the
Peoples Democratic Party from Abia State, Mr. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, is
investigating the contract.

A session convened at the National Assembly in Abuja to investigate
the issue was stalled on Tuesday after lawmakers could not lay their
hands on the contract papers.

Expressing the frustration of the committee, Nkem-Abonta stated, "We
have been demanding these documents and we have received no responses.
This is about the 8th hearing on this issue.

"If the contractual documents and agreements cannot be produced within
the next 72hours, we will be forced to close this matter and make our
recommendations to the House."

Another member of the committee from Lagos State, Mr. Rotimi Agunsoye,
expressed displeasure over the situation, saying that the House was
being taken for granted.

"There is no point giving the stakeholders extra 72 hours since tax
payers' money is involved. We should just close the matter," he said.

He argued that further giving the stakeholders another 72 hours was a
waste of parliamentary time.

However, Nkem-Abonta intervened, urging his colleagues to give Amaechi
one last chance with the 72-hour grace.

He added, "Let us still give them the benefit of the doubt; after 72
hours we can close the matter.

"For now, my ruling is that all relevant stakeholders should stay
action in all activities pending the outcome of House resolution on
the issue.

"We have wasted so much parliamentary time on this issue that we will
close the matter immediately after 72 hours."

Meanwhile, Ameachi himself had confirmed the contract in Lagos during
the 2017 World Maritime Day, which had the theme, 'Connecting Ships,
Ports and People.'

The minister gave details, "When you see the equipment on the
waterways, people will know they are safe and secured. Mr. President
has kindly approved that, and that is being done through the Nigerian
Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.

"In the three years, they will train our Navy, our Army and our Police
so that we can stop spending money escorting boats and vessels on our
waterways.

"Currently, Maersk told me they spend between $15m and $18m annually
to those escorting their vessels from one point to another on our
waterways. We should be able to deflate that by next year so that
people can do their businesses on our waterways without any fear of
being attacked or harassed.

"The Israelis have assured us that after the training of our security
operatives, such harassment and attacks on our waterways will not
happen again.

"They even said we should hold them accountable if such harassment
persists on our waterways after the training. That is one achievement
that has happened under our leadership in the maritime sector."