The House of Representatives on Wednesday directed management of Intels to immediately remit the multi-million dollar revenue accrued from pilotage service contract into the Treasury Single Account (TSA) as well as interests accrued on the fund since November 2016 without further delay.
Abubakar Damburam, chairman, Ad-hoc Committee on the need to ascertain the proceeds of the TSA, issued the directive during the investigate public hearing held in Abuja.
The lawmaker also mandated Intels to provide full details of the amount owed Federal Government within 24 hours, just as he threatened to enforce its statutory powers if the company fails to comply with Federal Government policy on TSA.
During the hearing, the Committee resolved to summon Dakuku Peterside, Director General of Nigerian Maritime and Safety Administration (NIMASA) as well as Yusuf Makashi, Managing Director of Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) for failing to honour the invitations extended to them over the past few months.
According to Silvano Bellinato, Intels Executive Director and Mba Onum, Intels Legal Adviser, the company collects 28% of the revenue collected on behalf of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Bellinato who that NPA and Intels have commenced reconciliation of accounts adding that the company is awaiting CBN to provide guidelines for the company to commence payment into the TSA.
While speaking, Onum disclosed that NPA’s indebtedness which rose from $700 million to $848,910,988 has left the company in dilemma.
Onum added that NPA’s revenue which rose from $6.5 million to $8.5 million before intels entered into the agreement with NPA, currently rose to $210 million as at October 2017.
He explained that the company’s resentment was spurred by the TSA policy which mandates the company to remit all the revenue and commission, thereby conflicting with the agreement signed between Intels and NPA.
According to him, Intels was offered commiaiain and the directive to pay the balance into TSA after deduction of the 28% commission at source, an agreement which was approved by Federal Executive Council (FEC).
In the bid to address the challenges, he emphasized the need for NPA to approach FEC for redress by granting necessary waiver for the company to payback loan facility obtained from its bankers.
Onum alleged that the TSA dynamic does not permit NPA to pay, and that the NPA manegrement made it clear to the company that it can only give assurance that the money will be paid.
On his part, ‘Deremi Atunda, who spoke on behalf of SystemSpecs disclosed that over 400 microfinance banks and domestic banks, all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as private organizations can easily use the REMITA platform.
He noted that the single platform can accommodate the most straight and complex transactions, adding that the platform was designed to address all complexities and are visible.
Atunda added that Egypt recently celebrated the paperless platform for government revenue, five years the REMITA platform was initiated in Nigeria without any commendation.
He expressed optimism that the REMITA platform is easily accessible, interactive and has no specifications for any prospective user to comply with TSA.
In his submission, Johnbull Shekarau, member of the committee who frowned at the resolve of Intels to withhold all revenue accrued from the pilotage under the guise of conflicting policies, warned against ursurping the powers of Federal Government.
He maintained that Intels resolve to withhold public fund for 24 months was unacceptable.
Other lawmakers who spoke at the public hearing including Dennis Amadi (PDP-Enugu) faulted the high commission being charged for collections in respect of pilotage services before the advent of TSA and the warehousing of the revenue accrued to government in deposit banks at the expense of the country.
While ruling, Damburam ruled that Intels should “sweep all the money into the TSA. That’s our concern,” just as he disagreed on the proposal by Intels to do monthly reconciliation with NPA before commencing payment.
He also urged Intels to issue necessary directive to its bankers to comply with the TSA policy in the bid to put the lingering crisis to rest.
KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja
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