National Assembly Panel Sends NIMASA Team Out Of Public Hearing

The National Assembly joint committee, which is currently investigating activities of foreign vessel owners in the country, on Tuesday, walked out the representatives of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency from a public hearing.

The panel threatened to sanction its Director-General, Dakuku Peterside if he failed to honour the rescheduled meeting by appearing in person.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Local Contents, Senator Teslim Folarin, and his colleague in the House of Representatives, Legor Idagbo, lamented Peterside’s decision to shun the invitation despite several reminders.

The members of the Joint National Assembly committee on Local Content, Petroleum Downstream and Legislative Compliance are currently investigating the breach of the Nigerian laws by foreign vessel owners in the country.

Read Also: Service chiefs: Senate Asks President To Use Federal Character

Reacting to the refusal of the NIMASA boss to shun the event, Folarin wondered why Peterside, who allegedly picked Tuesday as the most convenient time to honour the lawmakers’ invitation having failed to honour previous appointments, decided to send representatives.

The leader of NIMASA team was not allowed to introduce himself before he was asked to explain his mission and on what capacity he was appearing before the panel.

Having established that Peterside would not be physically present to answer questions from the panel members, Folarin walked out the agency’s members.

Folarin said, “I spoke with Peterside about this event. I called him and asked him to pick a date and he picked today (Tuesday).

“This is an investigative hearing which supersedes any other engagement. We won’t sit here and be wasting our time. We will give him one more chance, just one chance. If he failed to honour the next invitation, we know what to do.”

Also, Idagbo, who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Local Content, berated the NIMASA boss.

He said, “I’m aware that Senator Folarin had conversation with the DG of NIMASA and he picked this date.

“…You people (NIMASA) should be ashamed of yourself. How do we move forward as a country if we continue like this? What engagement is more important than this type of investigative hearing? This type of attitude is unacceptable.”