There is palpable confusion over the N72bn earmarked for the repair of the Apapa and Tin-Can ports access roads, following disclosure by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Hadiza Bala Usman, in 2017 that the same roads repair were expected to gulp N4.3bn.
It would be recalled that following a threat of a 21-day strike action by the Association of Nigerian Customs License Agents (ANCLA) and the National Association of Government Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) in May 2017, Hadiza Bala Usman had told stakeholders that the funding of the project concerning the Wharf Road, Creek Road, Tin-Can Island Access Road, Cocoanut Roads leading to Mile 2 and the Apapa-Oshodi expressway will gulp the sum of N4.3bn.
However, the NPA MD, over the weekend, contradicted the 2017 sum when she revealed that the ports access roads leading to Apapa and Tin-Can ports will now gulp N72bn.
According to a statement signed over the weekend by the Assistant General Manager, C&SC, Isa Suwaid stated that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has granted approval for a Private Public Partnership (PPP) of N72billion for the ports access road in Apapa and Tin can Island.
Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune, a clearing agent, Felix Nwangbara, wondered why the figures for road repairs are changing within the span of a year.
“In 2017, when we threatened to down tool, the NPA MD pacified us by telling us the funding for the roads, Apapa and Tin-Can ports roads will soon be approved. Then she told us N4.3bn. But since Friday, what I have been reading in the news is N72bn. I smell something fishy. Some people are probably trying to enrich themselves through this ports access roads rehabilitation.
“It’s important government probes every kobo channelled into this road rehabilitation decause_I am beginning to lose confidence in the funding of the project,” Nwagbara stated while speaking to Nigerian Tribune.
Another agent, Tomiwa Ibukunoluwa wondered how N4.3bn could suddenly become N72bn.
In 2017, we were talking of N4.3bn. The NPA MD herself addressed stakeholders and said the roads will gulp N4.3bn. Now it has become N72bn, and nobody is talking. It is only in Nigeria things like this happen,” Ibukunoluwa added.
In May 2017, the NPA MD who was then accompanied by the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Barrister Hassan Bello and a member of the house committee on Ports, Harbour and Waterways, Honourable Joseph Ayodeji, had revealed that the Authority is on the verge of getting approval for the said sum from the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, who are the parents funding ministry, but that the remaining would be gotten through synergy and partnership with Messrs Dangote Group who is expected to collaborate with NPA to the tune of N2.5 billion as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) while the NPA would provide the remaining sum of N1.8bn.