Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has stated that the multi-billion corruption allegations by some sections of the media are false and without any credibility.
 
The Abubakar Dantsoho-led management of the authority, in a statement, yesterday, clarified, among others, that the budget and expenditure of NPA were subject to the strict supervision of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Budget Office of the Federation as well as the comprehensive oversight of the National Assembly.
 
According to the statement, this makes the allegation of misapplication of budgetary provisions impossible.
 
It added: “The contract for dredging works at the Warri Escravos Channel, (hub of Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Operations), which became necessary because of the need to tackle the increasing siltation of the channel and forestall the international embarrassment and huge investment losses from shipping vessels running aground, followed laid down processes and procedure for emergency procurement as laid down in the Procurement Act, 2007, contrary to allegations in the report.
 
“The procurement of marine crafts such as tugboats and pilot cutters was carried out in line with the provisions of the Procurement Act, 2007. The process for this equipment was initiated and undertaken in response to the exigency of ensuring national energy security through the implementation of the sale of crude oil in naira to domestic refiners, which involved intensive offshore operations.”

The allegation of documents being withheld “for over a year” is untenable, it insisted, as the extant civil service guidelines governing the timeline for processing of official documents makes it impossible. 
 
The Dantsoho-led assured all stakeholders and the generality of Nigerians of its unwavering commitment to deepening the competitiveness of Nigerian ports through infrastructure and equipment renewal, which the NPA propelled to conclusive stages in readiness for the plug-in of relevant stakeholders as the implementation of the National Single Window (NSW) project of the Federal Government gains momentum.
 
It solicited the support of all Nigerians in this direction.