A lawyer and human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate alleged mismanagement involving the Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
In a petition seen by by our reporter , Adeyanju accused the NIMASA DG of mismanaging funds allocated for the construction of a Senate building at the Nigerian Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko, Delta State.
The petition alleged that funds disbursed for the project were misappropriated, hence the Senate building was uncompleted.
The activist called on the anti-corruption agency to probe both the NIMASA boss, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, and an unnamed contractor who allegedly received the funds but failed to deliver on the contract
The letter reads in parts, “We write as concerned Nigerians to petition Dr. Bashir Jamoh, the Director General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), as well as an unknown contractor regarding the mismanagement of the Senate building project at the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State.”
“Sometime ago, Dr. Bashir Jamoh awarded a contract and consequently disbursed funds to an unknown contractor for the construction of the senate building at the Nigeria Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko, Delta State.”
“Despite receiving the necessary funds and resources, the contractor to whom the contract was awarded to, failed to execute the project, leading to the non-execution of the construction.”
“Needless to state that Dr. Bashir Jamoh, as the Director General of NIMASA, bears responsibility for the mismanagement of this project. The failure of the contractor to carry out its duties without appropriate sanctions from Dr. Bashir Jamoh raises serious concerns about the proper administration of public funds and the execution of government projects under his leadership.”
“It is in light of the foregoing that we kindly urge you to use your good Office to cause an investigation into the complaint laid out in this petition, with a view of bringing the perpetrators to book,” he said.
In 2021, the institution was embroiled in a scandal involving N87bn alleged fraudulent contracts. NIMASA was accused of paying for multiple projects, including the Senate building, which were never completed.
This prompted the Auditor-General of the Federation to recommend a thorough investigation by the EFCC.
The Senate Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Senator Matthew Urhoghide, had weighed on the matter citing a 2015 report from the Auditor-General.
NIMASA’s leadership had reportedly failed to respond to several invitations to defend their actions and a query by the committee is expected to be presented for Senate consideration.
Among the contracts allegedly awarded by the agency but not executed are the construction of a ship-building facility and dockyard, maritime equipment and structure, and ancillary buildings at Okerenkoko, Delta State, awarded to a company at N40.2bn.
Others are construction of Administrative Blocks A1, N836m (15% foundation level); lecture rooms A2, N1,7m(0%); Vice Chancellor’s lodge and staff quarters A3, at N11,7m (0%); students’ hostels, A4, M (0%); power house/power sub-station, A12, N151m(15%, at foundation level); perimeter fence, A13, N446m(0%); jetty and ramp A18 N808m (5%, bush cleared); provision and electricity services and connection of the University to the National Grid A19, among others, all amounting to N36.8b.
