Eromosele Abiodun writes that the International Maritime Bureau report describing Nigeria as most volatile in the Gulf of Guinea, accounting for half of the 38 piracy incidences seems to have made a mockery of the $195 million Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, also called the Deep Blue Project
Last week, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) once again described Nigerian waters as most volatile in the Gulf of Guinea, accounting for half of the 38 piracy incidences reported in first quarter (Q1) of 2021 in the Gulf of Guinea.
The bureau made this known in its Q1 2021 report for the period between January and March. It said pirates had often raided ships in Nigeria to kidnap crews for ransom around the water regions.
By Eromosele Abiodun
Last week’s suspension of Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, at the request of the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, was the culmination of a two-year war of attrition between the duo, triggered by disagreement in 2019 over whether or not to renew the channel management contracts, THISDAY findings have shown.
It was learnt that the NPA had in 2019 placed advertisement in newspapers calling for expression of interest and bids.
Sources said three bid rounds were cancelled on the orders of the minister over disagreements on the selective bids and open bids.
Last week’s suspension of Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, at the request of the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, was the culmination of a two-year war of attrition between the duo, triggered by disagreement in 2019 over whether or not to renew the channel management contracts, THISDAY findings have shown.
It was learnt that the NPA had in 2019 placed advertisement in newspapers calling for expression of interest and bids.
Sources said three bid rounds were cancelled on the orders of the minister over disagreements on the selective bids and open bids.
The process was suspended till May 11, 2020, when the NPA placed advertisements calling for expression of interest, which was again moved to October 2020 because participants protested that they could not participate because of COVID-19 restrictions.