A couple of
companies that bidded for a cargo surveying contract at the Nigeria Ports
Authority (NPA) have raised alarm over alleged manipulation of the bids to
favour
some ‘incompetent companies’.
It is
recalled that the managements of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) had on
November 26, 2016, announced on its websites for ‘competent and reputable cargo
surveying companies to express interest in cargo surveying services’ at the
Delta, Calabar, Onne, Rivers, Lagos and Tin-Can Island Ports.
Over 500
companies, some of whom have been involved in the execution of the contracts
over the years also indicated interest in the job.
However,
some of the aggrieved bidders, who spoke under anonymity, are now alleging that a committee set up by
the managements of the NPA is in the process of manipulating the bids to favour
some companies.
“We got
information that the committee is planning to give the contracts to some newly
incorporated companies which were formed few months ago. These companies have
no experience in handling this job. It is not even easy to form a company
within few months and expect it to be suitable for the job. The process of
registering a company takes a long time not to talk of being qualified for a
job as sensitive as cargo surveillance.
This is a
job that requires experience but we are surprised that the tradition of
selecting experienced companies is in the process of being jeopardized. Due
process is not being followed. The irony
is that the consultant that was given the job of accessing all the bidders is
yet to submit its report to the committee yet the committee has reached a
decision on the companies that will handle the job,” some of the bidders
alleged.
The
aggrieved bidders who spoke with our correspondents are alleging that the
bidding, if not transparently handled could negatively affect the present
Federal Government’s transparency, due process and fight against corruption
campaign.
They also
called on the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Usman, and the General Manager
Procurement, NPA, to wade into the matter and ensure due process is followed by
awarding it to competent and experienced companies, failure of which they
threatened the matter will be taking to President Muhammadu Buhari
They also
urged the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo to order investigation into the
matter.
“We are
urging the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, to order investigation to the
process before winners are announced. This is because we gathered that the
managements of the NPA will soon ratified the decision of the committee. The
present government has been campaigning against corruption and promoting
transparency and due process. It will be counter-productive and bad image on
the government if this manipulation is allowed to go on,” the bidders said.
In his
reaction, the General Manager, Procurement, Dandare Ahmed confirmed that the
committee did meet in a hotel concerning the contract but said the meeting was
to evaluate some of the bidders and come up with the lists of successful ones.
“It’s true
the committee has been meeting in a hotel to deliberate on the bids but the
meeting was to evaluate the bidders. It is the practice of the Procurement
department to always use hotel for such evaluations because of the volume of
work involved. We have met in the hotel three times and we will still meet
again in the hotel. We have yet to come out with the names of successful
bidders so it is not right for some of the contractors to say we have chosen
the companies that will handle the contracts. We are very transparent,” he
said.
He was
however silent on the allegations that some newly incorporated companies are
being considered for the job.
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