The House of Representatives has absolved the Nigerian Ports Authority, Mohammed Bello-Koko of N178 billion bad debt allegations contained in the 2019 audited financial statement of the authority.
Mike Etaba, chairman of the House Committee on Public Petitions, dismissed the allegations at a public hearing held at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja on Wednesday.
The Forum of Non-governmental Organisations in Nigeria had alleged that the NPA and its managing director were complicit in the provision of N178 billion for bad debt in NPA’s audited financial statement.
At the resumption of the public hearing yesterday, however, the forum failed to appear before the committee to defend the allegations brought against the NPA and its managing director.
Disappointed by the absence of the forum, Etaba dismissed the petition for lack of merit, saying the petitioner had failed to appear before the committee to prove its allegations against the NPA and managing director.
The chairman said: “This is the sixth time the House Committee on Public Petition is sitting with respect to N178 billion bad debt allegations brought against the authority. The petitioner has not been in this place. The case is hereby dismissed.”
As contained in its petition, the forum had requested the management of NPA be invited to address the growth of alleged debt from N135 billion in 2018 to N173 billion in 2019.
The petition in part reads: “Our attention has been brought to the 2019 audited financial statement of the authority with special reference to Trade Accounts Receivable and the huge provision made for bad and doubt debts.
“While we note that the position in 2019 would significantly change by now, the poor quality of NPA’s trade receivable account is alarming and requires urgent attention.”
