Security Agencies, Cabal Stalling FG’s $195m Waterway Contract – Amaechi

Security Agencies, Cabal Stalling FG’s $195m Waterway Contract – Amaechi

The federal government has accused cabals operating in government, security contractors as well as security agencies of frustrating the $195million security contract to secure the nation’s waterways.

This was disclosed yesterday by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi at the second stakeholders interactive forum organised by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in Warri Delta state.

Recall that the there have been controversy over the $195million security contract approved by the federal government to an Israeli security firm for securing Nigeria territorial waters.
But, Amaechi accused some government officials, and “People making money from water” of sabotaging government effort in restoring peace on the nation’s waters.

He said, “For shipowners you need to do a petition to the President, you need to behave like an activists and learn to be like students. The President approved a contract of $195million and there are people in the system sabotaging that contract. The contract is to that restore security in the nation’s water.”

A visibly furious Amaechi however threatened to disclose those behind the sabotage if pushed to the wall.
“I won’t say who they are until it gets out of control. We are still battling for the contract to take place but if it get out of place w‎e will name them including the security people.
“These are people who make billion of dollars from the water so they don’t want security on the water because if we secure the water all this rubbish will go.”

We need to ask ourselves what happened to an approval that was given about two years ago by the President.”

Amaechi however charged shippers to provide statistics and what the country is losing to insecurity on the waterways for him to present to the President.
“You must give us the statistics how much you are losing so that you can complain to the President. When they compromised the system it won’t work. There are people like I told you that their business is to provide vessel for oil companies in the name of security contract but the moment we secure the water, what is their jobs?,” he asked rhetorically.

Speaking earlier,the Chairman, Shipowners Forum, Margaret Onyema- Orakwusi urged the Federal Government to improve security in the nation’s territorial water to restore investors’ confidence in the sector.

Orakwusi said insecurity had led to loss of lives and eroded investors confidence in the shipping sector
She said, “Government should increase security in Nigeria waterways to increase investors confidence. Insecurity has also contributed to closing of companies and relocation to neighbouring countries and this has led to massive job loss in the sector.

Orakwusi also charged the government for the establishment of maritime bank for the resuscitation of shipping business in Nigeria.
Orakwusi said maritime bank with single interest rate would help develop the sector.

Her words, “Nigeria banks are mostly commercial banks driven by interest rate and if we are to develop shipping we have to think of other source of funding.
“Government should establish a maritime bank not driven by profit but development of the industry. This can be done with interest rate at 3percent.”