FG queries NPA Over $753 million, N1.61 billion debt by 18 operators

The defaulting companies operate from the Lagos Port Complex, Tin Can Island Port, Delta Port, Rivers Port Complex, Onne Port Complex and Calabar Port Complex.

According to a report being considered by the Committees on Public Accounts in the National Assembly, the office of the Auditor General had gone ahead to issue a query to the NPA explaining that the owed amounts formed part of the debts standing against the operators as of December 31, 2019.

A list of the defaulting companies and their debt profile include APM Terminal, Apapa ($562.060 million), Apapa Bulk Terminal ($4,621.20), ENL Consortium ($957,020.77), Greenview Development ($20,750,443.65) and Standard Flour Mills ($893.77).

Others are Intels Nigeria Limited, operators of Terminal A at the Delta Ports Complex ($2,429,382.80); Intels Nigeria Limited, operators of Terminal B of the Delta Ports Complex ($4,589,576.75); Intels Nigeria Limited at Onne Port Complex ($430,404.81, $670,954.72 and $1,928,250.44 for the three terminals.

The rest are BUA Ports and Terminal Limited ($12,254,424.55), Port and Terminal Operators Nigeria Limited ($107,311,506.46), Brawal Shipping Nigeria Limited ($226,541.72), Shoreline Logistics ($1,181,023.57), Associated Maritime Services ($328,027.64), and Greenleigh Ports Nigeria Limited ($1,734,492.41).

A copy of the query revealed that from the agreements signed between NPA and various Terminal Operators, a specified fixed annual payment was to be paid in 12 equal instalments in each operating year, the first instalment was to be paid on the first day of the month after the effective date and then, on the same date of every month after that.

Reacting to the query, the NPA however, explained that the original debt owed the government by the operators stood at $852.093m and N1.878 billion and that out of the amount, $753m and N1.609bn were still owed by the operators.