The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday said he was yet to be briefed properly on the $103 million pipeline protection and waterways security contract awarded to a company linked to ex-Niger Delta warlord, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.
Tompolo’s company had secured the $103m contract during the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
However, Amaechi, who made this known when he appeared before Senate Committee on Marine Transport, said he first heard about the contract on the pages of newspapers and that he had yet to be properly briefed by officials of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency on the matter since his appointment as minister was confirmed last month.
The minister said he knew about Global West Vessel Specialist Agency Limited, a company linked to Tompolo, when he visited the office of NIMASA on Monday.
He said: “It was in the public that I knew that Tompolo had a contract.
“Even up till now, I have never been briefed about the contract.
“How did I know the company?
“I got to NIMASA and I saw a building that was looking very ugly.
“And I said for Christ’s sake, who are the people staying in this dirty place?
“And they said staff of Global West Company and they are Tompolo’s staff.
“Nobody ever mentioned that contract to me.
“That’s why I said give me information about all the contracts that you have awarded in NIMASA so that I know and the stage of payment.”
At the meeting on Tuesday, Amaechi, the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, revealed that he had to cut short his visit to agencies and parastatals in the maritime sector in Lagos State to honour the Committee’s invitation.
He explained that he was still studying the railway and aviation sectors and called for more time to furnish the Committee with necessary information.
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