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Tompolo’s Contract Boosted NIMASA Revenue, says Bashir Jamoh

The maritime contract between theNigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Global WestVessels Specialists Limited owned by ex-Niger Delta warlord, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo boosted NIMASA’s revenue and reduced the incidents of piracy on the nation’s territorial waters.

This was stated by Dr. Bashir Jamoh, the director general of the apex shipping regulatory agency in Nigeria. According to reports, the debt recovery and surveillance contracts awarded to the Global West Vessel Specialists Nigeria Limited (GWVSNL) NIMASA under the Goodluck Jonathan administration and cancelled by Buhari was awarded to Snecou Nigeria Limited, a company owned by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dr Davies Akanya.

A major part of the contract was to recover the huge debts owed NIMASA by shipping companies in the region of $15 billion, which NIMASA then estimated in the region of $5 billion on no cure, no pay basis.

It will be recalled that the former director general of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, had in 2011, awarded a 10-year maritime security contract to GWVSNL. As part of the contract, GWVESNL was expected to provide platforms to be used by the Nigerian navy and other security operatives to patrol the waterways.

The Federal Ministry of Transportation under Chibuike Amaechi, had July, 2016 directed NIMASA under Dr. Dakuku Peterside to terminate GWVSNL’s contract and discontinue payment to it. The directive was sequel to the freezing of GWVSNL’s account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Five years after the suspension of the contract, Bashir Jamoh, the new director general of NIMASA who had been a top management official in NIMASA for over 20 years, before finally becoming the DG, has come out to disclose that the discredited contract was indeed a blessing to NIMASA.

According to him, this was because it boosted the agenc