NIMASA: Reps Maul Arrest Warrant For DG

By Fola James

The House of Representatives could issue a warrant of arrest for the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), following his failure to appear before the lawmakers to explain failure by the agency to audit its account for five years.

NIMASA, the House of Committee on Public Accounts said the agency has not audited its account since he was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The probe followed submission of the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation of the non-submission of NIMASA audited accounts for years 2015 to 2018.

Two times, the NIMASA boss has failed to show up at the probe in the lower chamber of the national assembly.

The lawmakers are now spoiling for war on the belief by some of them that the agency boss has failed to show them respect.

Some members of the committee informed the magazine that the agency boss is taking them for granted because he was formerly a member of the House of Representatives.

“We know the DG is a former ranking member of the House. He was even a chairman of one of the lucrative committee, but that will not stop us from doing our job,” a lawmaker who did not want his name mentioned said.

He said it’s possible that Peterside is capitalizing on his closeness to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Presidency for his behavior.

“Whether he’s close to the minister or not, he must respect the National Assembly. We expect people like him, who have passed through the NA to show good example,’ another lawmaker said.

He explained that “we would have no other option than to issue a warrant of arrest for him if he failed to show up at the next sitting.”

The resolution of the House Committee headed by Oluwole Oke to probe NIMASA, the lawmakers said followed the “Deliberate and Reckless Refusal By Non-Treasury and Partially-Funded Agencies to render their audited accounts from 2014 to 2018”.

Julius Dung, from the Auditor General of the Federation at office, confirmed the non-receipt of the accounts of NIMASA.

Apart from Peterside, the committee also summoned the Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemi Saraki and the permanent secretary in the ministry, to appear before it to explain why the NIMASA boss has continue to shun the committee’s summons.

The minister during her appearance tried to explain the delay in remitting the audited account to Auditor General of the Federation Office; she was snubbed by the lawmakers.

Also, Gambo Ahmed, the agency’s Executive Director of Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, who told the committee that Peterside was outside the country on an international assignment, was rebuffed by the lawmakers.

The agency said it does not have a management account; reason, it could not generate audited accounts for a number of years.

“We cannot submit an audited account from when we started. We must get the closing balance as at the last time we submitted the audit,” the Executive Director, Finance and Accounts, Bashir Jamiu, told the committee on Tuesday.

Meanwhile sources in the agency informed the magazine on Wednesday that the DG is out of the country and would be available anytime from now to answer the committee summons.