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They said over $2 billion had been contributed to the fund in the past 17 years, contrary to the $350 million claimed by the Federal Government.
The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, last week announced President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval for the disbursement of CVFF after 17 years in the custody of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Also, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, announced that the funds available for disbursement were slightly over N16 billion in naira component and $350 million in dollar component.
But the Chairman of the Board of NISA, Isaac Jolapamo, at a general meeting of the association, claimed that indigenous shipowners contributed more than $2 billion to the fund.
Jolapamo pointed out that the $350 million, which was disclosed by the former Minister of State for Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki, was different from the figure released by previous ministers.
He also alleged that a list has been prepared by the Federal Government containing names of organisations to receive from the fund.
Jolapamo went ahead to inaugurate a six-man committee to represent the association when the CVFF is being discussed by the Federal Government and other concerned agencies while insisting that the funds must be audited.
“We will get to the bottom of what has been happening to our money. Where is the money? $350 million will not do us anything. It cannot even buy six ships. So, if we have waited for 17 or 18 years, we should know if anybody has dipped his hands in the money. We need to know,” Jolapamo noted.
Also speaking, the Secretary to the Committee, Paul Jegede, said it is not enough to be excited about the disbursement of the fund, but auditing must be carried out to know the exact amount that has been contributed by shipowners.
Jegede urged the Federal Government to consult the contributors for suggestions, which will inform the modalities to disburse the fund so that nobody is cheated.
