Daily Independent (Lagos)
Adetutu Folasade-Koyi
9 October 2008
Abuja — Senate ad hoc committee investigating budgetary releases to the transportation sector from 1999 to date on Wednesday alleged that the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) concessioned the Tin Can Port, Apapa, Lagos, to ghost companies.
The committee faulted the port concession process conducted by the BPE, which led to Intels Nigeria Limited acquiring most of the port terminals allegedly at the expense of other companies which participated in the bidding process.
At the start of the committee's public hearing on the marinetime/aviation sector, its Chairman, Heineken Lokpobiri, expressed dismay that the companies that got the concession were not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Lokpobiri also noted that the there was no record of the existence of the concessionaire with the CAC.
But BPE Director General, Irene Chigbue, insisted before the committee that the concessioning process was transparent.
Said Lokpobiri: "The CAC says it does not have anything to do with Tin Can Island Container Terminal Limited and Port and Cargo Handling Services that bidded and got Tin Can Island Terminal Port Terminal 'B' and Tin Can Island Port Terminal 'C'.
"There is no record of any kind with CAC to show their existence. No letter of incorporation. The information we have is that the companies are ghost companies."
He specifically accused BPE of foul play in the whole port concession exercise, adding that "the organisation flouted its own ground rules by showing undue advantage to Intels Nigeria Limited."
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