Discourse 339
By Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde
Shocking: Jonathan Officially Concedes Security of Nigerian Maritime Domain to Niger Delta Militants
Someone should tell President Goodluck E. Jonathan to please go slow with his Ijaw Nation project. If it is destined to succeed, it will ultimately do without rushing too many things at the same time and causing grievous damage to the mechanics of the nation. Speed kills.
The latest move, among many, is that he has approved a memo that officially auctions our national maritime domain to a company that is alleged to belong to one of the leading Niger Delta Militants. Come with me.
On 5th January 2012, the Ministry of Transport submitted a memorandum to the Federal Executive Council titled, AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR THE STRATEGIC CONCESSIONING PARTNERSHIP WITH NIMASA TO PROVIDE PLATFORM FOR TRACKING SHIPS AND CARGOES, ENFORCE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND SURVEILLANCE OF THE ENTIRE NIGERIAN MARITIME DOMAIN.
To cut a long story short, I have quoted, ad verbatim, paragraph 14 of the memo that summarizes it. (Errors herein are not mine, please)
14. Council is, accordingly, invited to;
note that the principal objective of NIMASA’S activities is to ensure that safety and security of Shipping/Maritime Trade in a protected marine environment but Resource constraint has made it difficult for NIMASA to acquire the requisite Operational Platforms which are needed to effectively patrol and carry out surveillance of Nigeria’s entire coastline.
note that the Surveillance Operations will be carried out in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy in line with the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy under the Maritime Command and Structure;
note that the project is aimed at addressing the challenges in the Maritime Industry
(v) note that the scope of works covers Monitoring, Patrol, Enforcement of Conventions and Improvement of Revenue;
(vi) note that the Platform upon completion will enhance effective patrol and surveillance of Nigeria’s entire coastline to achieve total Maritime Domain Awareness
(vii) note that due National Security nature of the project, Direct Procurement was adopted to this procurement under the Public Procurement Act. Section 42 (1) f;
(viii) note that Due Process Guidelines, were followed and the ICRC has approved the PPP arrangement on a ‘no cure no pay’ basis in favour of Messrs Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited (GWVSL) with an initial investment in the sum of USD103,400,000.00 Dollar only. Inclusive of all taxes on a contractor financed Supply Operate and Transfer (SOT) Concession for a period of 10 years based on performance;
(ix) note that the BPP reviewed the procurement process and issued a Certificate of ‘No Objection’ for the Provision of Platforms for Tracking Ships and Cargoes, Enforcement of Regulatory Compliance and Surveillance of the Entire Nigerian maritime Domain for Ministry of Transport/Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, in favour of Messrs Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited (GWVSL), with an initial investment in the sum of USD103,400,000.00 Dollars only, on a contractor financed supply and Transfer (SOT) concession for a period of 10 years and renewable for further 2 terms of 5 years each based on performance as recommended by ICRC and no more to avoid undue monopoly of the service by Concessionaire;
(x) note that the projected amount accruable to government over the concession period will not be less than N124billion.
(xi) note that the President vide letter Ref. No. PRES/99/MT/61, 9th November, 2011 had granted anticipatory approval for the project;
(xii) note that the Attorney General of the Federation/Minister of Justice has reviewed and approved the Draft Agreement.
(xiii) note that this project is contractor financed and does not require any Government Appropriation.
(xiv) note that this project will create 1375 job opportunities to Nigerian professional and non-professionals directly and 1620 jobs indirectly; and
(xv) Ratify the Presidents anticipatory approval for the concessioning of the Provision of Security, Monitoring and Enforcement Operational Platforms on Nigerian Waters to Ministry of Transport/Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). In favour of Messrs Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited (GWVSL), with an initial Investment of the sum of USD103,400,000.00 Dollars (One Hundred and Three Million, Four Hundred Thousand Dollars) only. Inclusive of all taxes on a Contractor-financed Supply Operate and Transfer (SOT) Concession over 10 years concession period and renewable for further 2 terms of 5 years based on performance. (End of memo.)
The Presidency sent the memo to the National Assembly last week requesting it to consider it in place of the earlier memo on coastal guards submitted by late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. The essential difference between the two memos is that while Yar’adua envisaged an outfit that is composed by various agencies of government related to maritime functions, Jonathan's memo is contracting the job to a private company in spite the national security implications.
Given the tribal bias that President Jonathan has so far exhibited in his appointments, one could easily see that the expected jobs will largely, if not completely, be composed of Niger Deltan militants. This neatly fits into the Ijaw nation agenda. With the militants manning the maritime domain from Lagos to Calabar, anything can happen.
The promise of joint patrol and enforcement with the Nigerian Navy is mere sweet talk. We know how government agencies and officials subserviently relate to contractors, especially those appointed by the Presidency. The mention of NSA is even more laughable because, he, like the present MD of NIMASA – Mr. Ziakede P. Akpobolokemi – is also from the Niger Delta.
There is the fear among many Nigerians that Jonathan is working hard to secure the entire resources of the region in the hands of his Ijaw tribesmen. So-called ex-Militants are presently manning pipelines in the region.
Now, there are pertinent questions to ask about the contract:
When has Nigeria become so bankrupt that an organization like NIMASA that generates hundreds of millions of dollars annually would not be able to invest $103.4m on something as crucial as its infrastructure that is so essential to our national security?
The contract does not have a total cost. All we are told is that the initial investment would be $103.4million. How would a contractor commit himself to a contract that does not have a total cost?
Equally ambiguous is the benefit that will accrue to the federal government: “not less than N124billion above the existing earnings”, or less than $1billion over a period of ten years! This means in the absence of any sharing formula even if the contractor would pay the federal government only a billion dollars in ten years where he makes, say, $10 billion, he is deemed to have performed satisfactorily. This is dubious.
Who are the 1375 Nigerian professionals and 1620 non-professionals that are going to be employed by the company? No commitment to their composition is given in the memorandum whatsoever. One can clearly see a situation where the entire workforce would be made up of Niger Delta militants. There is nothing in the memorandum to ensure a national spread of the opportunities.
What happens if the contractor does not perform? Nothing except the phrase ‘no cure no pay.’
One really wonders how “the BPP reviewed the procurement process and issued Certificate of ‘No Objection’, and how the Attorney General of the Federation/Minister of Justice reviewed and approved the agreement.
Why would the President approve such a sensitive memo in anticipation without waiting for his Council?
Why the attempt to gain the approval of the National Assembly within a day without allowing members to study it?
Who are on the board of Messrs Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited? Many are saying that it belongs to Tampolo, the famous leader of one of Niger Delta militant factions.
Finally, we would ask: why is Jonathan walking so fast… why? Does not he have faith in the future of the nation, as did the Presidents before him?
What future role remains for the Nigerian military in the Niger Delta?
Will the National Assembly approve it this week after the failed attempt to smuggle it into its proceedings of last week?
You may ask your own questions, perhaps more crucial than mine. The answers, I assure you, would not be far-fetched.
Will the
Abuja
22 January 2012
27 comments:
This jonathan is a not a good leader. He has a vision different with that of Nigeria. But, God will not allow him
Very disturbing, it seems that the President Jonathan has demeaned himself to just Niger delta. May God save us, my only worry is that if they have intebtion of dividing this country they should do it without killing innocent people under the guise of terrorism and other isms.
Kai! this is serious.
Gentlemen,
Enough of this nonsense, why can't we have peace in Nigeria. Everyday it is Hausa and Yoruba always accusing anybody who tries to do something different.
Shame on you if you think you people will continue with this tribal bias and hatred for other tribes in Nigeria.
PLS CAN SOME ONE TELL ME HOW MANY YORUBA AND HOUSA THIEVES ARE WORKING IN NNPC, DPR, JAMB, NEPA, NIGERIAN ARMY, POLICE, WHAT HAVE WE GAINED AS A NATION SINCE INDEPENDENCE WHILE YOU GUYS WERE IN POWER. LET ANOTHER PERSON RULE AND LET USAND LET US SEE WHETHER YOU WILL LIKE YOUR BROTHERS KILLED AS THE MALUs ARE KILLING IGBOS IN THE NORTH. LET US HAVE PEACE IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT IF YOU WANT PIECES THEN CONTINUE WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
AS YOU RUN YOUR MOUTH LIKE KEKE MARUWA, YOUR BROTHERS WORKING IN NIGER DELTA OIL AND GAS ENJOYING MORE THAN THE LANDLORDS WILL SOON COME BACK TO YOU.THE PRESIDENT SHOULD JUST SACK ALL THESE NOISE MAKERS. WAS NIGERIA MADE FOR YOU ONLY?
ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN DEMISTYFIED, SHAME ON YOU.
INFACT JONATHAN IS DELAYING
TOO MUCH. WHERE IN THIS NIGERIA HAVE YOU SEEN SUCIDE BOOMBING BEING CELEBRATED.
With this kind of response (anonymous), one can say that Nigeria as a nation has no future. This is sad, sooo... Sad.
Zainab that anonymous is Dakubo Asari. They are the beneficiaries of the illegal concession.
GEJ will only ruin himself and not Nigeria. The people around him that are making him do whatever he is doing are just helping Nigerians realize what type of human beings are in Niger-Delta. I served there and I know how irresponsible these people are.
This is you first and your last
Only sensible & responsible people would understand what Dr Tilde is fishing out.Those that are narrow minded with shallow thinking & already overshadowed by sentiment, let them continue & see what the future hold for them.
Dr Tilde, thanks for this discourse, for the Jonathan(s) Nemesis must catch with all of them sooner or later. The same Ijaws would be the ones to collect the shoe from the shoeless & clueless Ijaw leader, since he is not a Nigerian Leader.
With all honesty and sincerity I don't want to go along tribal sentiments at all but let mi deviate a bit,since inception of NIMASA how many Niger deltans have held the position of MD??coming back to the real issue what is the contractual obligations of the said company to the Nigeria state,what are the roles of Nigerian military and security agencies,the ambiguities in contract should be addressed and let the senate do their work in the overall interest of the country.the type of system we are practising allows for nepotism and favoritism to thrive at the expense of meritocracy,before Jonathan were these ills plagued this country we need to do the right thing by practising true federalism and devolution of powers to units components.what I expected the writer to ask is (1) is the contract bidding open,or selective (2)who are the other coys vying or bidding,(3)the terms and offer of the contract beneficial to the Nigerian state ,if not hw can the country benefit optimally and lastly the composition of the workforce ,hw can it be spread nationally..
The National Assembly is Nigeria's only hope in this loss-loss gamble with our strategic pedestal of national interest.
A 10 year open-ended SOT - without definite total costs and revenue projections - is hardly a good PPP option.
Moreover, the arrangement is poised to surrender vessels tracking and Nigeria maritime control to a private company (allegedly owned by ex-militant; and likely to be staffed by ex-militants); at the time of illegal bunkering and light arms smuggling through the Nigerian waters. This is one risk too many.
May God save us, many of such deals are going on at the moment with out Nigerians knowing them.Who do you blame ? GEJ is first an Ijaw man, he feels his people are short changed in the Nigerian calculus equation, now that the opportunity to redress has showed up, he wants reap it.lest continue going.
Am deeply disturbed by this memo. It has further confirmed the existence of the Ijaw Nation Project which can be linked to the current destruction of the North in the name of "Boko Haram". This is very disturbing. Our so-called leaders are silent while we are being destroyed.
This is not suprising, only last year the same government gave out a contract for the provision of security and protection of oil and gas pipelines and other facilities in the Niger Delta to four companies that belongs to four ex-militant war lords. Tompolo's company " Oil Surveilance Company Ltd was awarded the contract to the tune of N9Billion Naira to provide security for O&G facilities in Delta State.
With this maritime security contract awarded to Tompolo,it is clear that GEJ wants to handover our most precious assets O&G facilities to ex-militant and now our maritime security to also thesame people,
Well... if President GEJ wants Nigeria divided then let him quickly call for a referendum instead of coming through the back door. Dr. Tilde, this house of our own called "Nigeria" is highly polarized along ethnic/religious lines and it seems like those in position of authority are not yet ready to address the real issue.
Any way time will tell.......Allah ya kawo mana mafita cikin sauri ameen.
Thank you Dr. Tilde.
Dr. Jazakallahu khair for this wonderful job i was shock and devastated when i so the huge amount contract allocated to a single person kai! what madness is this, but we're waiting to hear from NASS.
Asa Dr,
us muslims have left the way of Allah,we pray five times a day, if we pray at all only if it does not clash with one 'important' meeting, a sale at our shops, a visit with fiends, a favorite TV programme...i could go on and on. If we leave the way of Allah, he will leave us, zai barmu da dabarar mu.
This is my take on the situation that muslims (northerners) find themselves in currently. Let us go back to the basics. Go back to placing Allah first. in any situation we find ourselves in let us ask, how would our rasul SAW or his sahaba have done it? and then do it that way, without question.
i promise you if we can do that at an individual level and invite others to do same, we will be better for it as individuals and as a people, and the entire society will be better for it.
the first test will be to figure out how what i have said relates to the memo you have alerted us to. this memo is just one. if we do not stop and face the real issues (our own loss of values) this will be child's play compared to what will come.
Prof.,
This is a HIGH RISK ISSUE. However, we as a people, seem not to have the solution at hand. Because, we by the tact of some mischievious designs, have found ourselves in total disarray and hopelessness. But, we are never known for loosing hope as we constantly remember HIS Name (JJWT) and depend and believe in Him, the Most Wise. Please, call on us all to put our trust in Him and intensify our prayers lest He should show mercy on us. Remind us also of what He says about the mischief makers, "Wa makarou wa....ila akhiri ayat". Thus, the solution as you rightly admonished, may not be far-fetched. Ka san ance, "Makaho bai san ana ganinshi ba, sai an taba shi".
Thank you and God (Allah) bless.
My brother Omo,
Do you believe the gibberish by Dr Tilde? Look at the opening sentence and you will see the ethnic undertone to the write up. It would have been nice to know Dr Tilde background, who he is and he does for a living. Notice that the only substantive point in his write is that Jonathan is pursuing an Ijaw agenda? The only proof is that a project is award to a company allegedly owned by a Niger Delta Militant. Where was Dr Tilde during PDTF and who headed the body and how was the huge resources disbursed. I met two ladies on the plane returning from Nigeria few months ago and was aghast by what they had to say about the set in Nigeria-Sao Tome joint oil exploration and development concerns. Ask anyone who knows a thing or two about the happenings in Ports during Atiku and Obasanjo’s regime and they will tell you who ran the show then. Militant or no militant would this Ijaw company had got a looking had another person be in office other than Jonathan/ Who was the group managing Director of NNPC during Yar Ardua’s time. Look at the calumny against the petroleum minister, and there is because she is from the Niger Delta. The only man that will write and I will pay full attention is Coronel Umar who has been consistent in his words and actions and speaks in the interest of Nigeria. You do not want to recognise the likes of Dr Tilde who believe it is their birth right to govern and anyone else will not do.
OJ
Prof.,
This is a HIGH RISK ISSUE. However, we as a people, seem not to have the solution at hand. Because, we by the tact of some mischievious designs, have found ourselves in total disarray and hopelessness. But, we are never known for loosing hope as we constantly remember HIS Name (JJWT) and depend and believe in Him, the Most Wise. Please, call on us all to put our trust in Him and intensify our prayers lest He should show mercy on us. Remind us also of what He says about the mischief makers, "Wa makarou wa....ila akhiri ayat". Thus, the solution as you rightly admonished, may not be far-fetched. Ka san ance, "Makaho bai san ana ganinshi ba, sai an taba shi".
Thank you and God (Allah) bless.
Sometimes I honestly believe that people like Dr. Tilde's brains areyears ahead of the time and space they occupy which is present day Nigeria. It really doesnt surprise me when people like these bigots dont understand them. Dr. Tilde, so shall we say our hopes lie with the NASS ? That is if they havent been paid in advance for their thumb prints. Lets cross our fingers
let's discuss the issues and cast away the sentiments. Our leaders are only interested in looting while we are shouting our ethno-religious war songs.
Dr we should know that "The house of Luggard" has already disintegreted. It's time we relise that those working towards dividing 9ja have gone far... Allah dai ya kawo sauki
The onus is on the National Assembly to halt this hidden agenda now. I have said it severally that President Goodluck Jonathan is overwhelmed by the demands of the exalted office he currently occupies, hence his faltering steps, committing one blunder after the order, his ethnic and tribal jingoism betrays his hidden agenda for a desired Ijaw nation. No one is against that, but all the coastal regions from Yenagoa to Lagos certainly did not belong to the Ijaws! Jonathan must be stopped!
Na wa!
Gej is per suing Niger delter agenda of resource control,
AS USUAL, THE IBRAHIMS, AISHATS ETC WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT THEIRS. ITS A PITY THAT THE NORTHERN MUSLIMS DONT SEE ANY GOOD FROM OTHERS IN THIS COUNTRY. DR YOUR ARTICLE IS BASED ON MERE SPECULATION. HABA CANT GEJ TAKE ANY DECISION WITHOUT YOU READING ETHNIC MEANINGS TO IT? PLS YOUR BROTHERS HAVE DONE THEIR BIT SO ALLOW GEJ TO DO HIS NOW ABEG
All these are indications that Jonathan is just a sectional(Niger Delta) leader, but not Nigerian leader.
why should anybody bother when everybody is fed up with the geographic impression called nigeria? every entity was existing normally before the great mistake of 1914. so, let us all go back to our respective homes. but for god's sake let us do it peacefully.
Post a Comment