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NPA, bidders at war over cargo survey

By Editor
21 March 2017   |   4:05 am
The Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) cargo-bidding job has taken a new dimension as some concerned bidders have alleged that the management of the authority is abandoning due process in selecting successful bidders.

Cargo Ship

The Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) cargo-bidding job has taken a new dimension as some concerned bidders have alleged that the management of the authority is abandoning due process in selecting successful bidders.

Some of the bidders recently raised the alarm over alleged attempts by the management to manipulate the contracts. However, latest investigations revealed that despite the alarm, the management of the NPA is bent on going ahead with the process

In one of its reactions through the General Manager, Procurement, Dandare Ahmed, the management of NPA confirmed that the committee did meet in a hotel concerning the contracts. But he 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 hotels for such evaluations because of the volume of work involved.  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.

“The so-called bidding process of NPA cargo business is a sham and is now in the open. Due process has been completely neglected. Experience no longer counts. One of the companies that will be given the job is the one owned by one of the former executive directors, Marine and Operations, who pleaded and cried before the new MD of NPA. So the company is to be given a job in Onne, to monitor petrol and a company also said to belong to one of the current general managers will be given general cargo contract in Warri,” one of the bidders said under anonymity.

He added: “Other companies the management handpicked are those brought by the managing director who presented the companies as those from her former boss and they are to be given the choicest of the job though without experience or qualified personnel, and not in compliance with the Procurement Act.

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