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Committee threatens to invoke constitutional power on CBN over ailing ports

Rep. Yusuf Buba (APC-Adamawa) Chairman of an investigative Ad hoc Committee of the House of Representatives has threatened to invoke constitutional powers to compel the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to appear before it over ailing ports.

Buba issued the threat in an interview with journalists on Monday in Abuja after the CBN, again, failed to appear before the committee.

The committee is on the need to determine why the Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Onne and Onitsha inland complexes were not being put into maximum use.

It had summoned the CBN and four others at a public hearing on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019 which the agencies failed to appear.

While the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Department of Petroleum Products (DPP) Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) all appeared, the CBN did not come.

“Today, they all met with us and they have all made their presentations, except the CBN and then we are issuing a last warning to the CBN to make sure they make themselves available.

“If they do not, we will use our constitutional powers to summon them by force,” he said.

According to him, majority of the people in that maritime business were from eastern axis of the country.

“There is no reason why their ports would not work, we cannot subject them to bring their goods through the Lagos and start transporting it on the bad roads,” he said.

Contrary to claims by Ship Owners Association, Buba said that there was no deliberate government attempt to stop the ports in the east from functioning.

The lawmaker said that no government would want to choke the source of livelihood of its citizens, adding that the claims were not true.

Buba said that it was difficult to bring very heavy goods through air cargo, especially goods such as Premium Motor Spirit or crude oil.

According to him, it is very expensive for our businessmen to do that and so the ports must work for the economy to open up and we must make it work.

The chairman said that the essence for setting up the committee was to look into all the issues, including insufficient facilities in and around the ports.

He said that most of the problems were known and what was left was how to solve them which government was interested in doing so.

Buba maintained that the committee would look into issues surrounding all the dredging contracts and make sure whoever was found wanting would be made to face justice.

He said once the ports are dredged, big vessel would be able to move down south freely without fear.

The chairman said that the issues of security on the waterways were being investigated with a view to finding lasting solution to piracy and sea rubbery.

He said that the committee would look into the roles and challenges of security agencies saddled with the responsibility of keeping the waterways safe.

 

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