We Remitted N16bn to Revenue Fund in 10 Months, Says NIMASA DG
*As lawmakers query NIMASA for spending N300 million for office cleaning
* Say physical structures on ground do not justify N3bn spent on Maritime University
The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Peterside Dakuku Tuesday said his agency has remitted the sum of N16b to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in the past 10 months.
Dakuku who spoke when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration for this year’s budget appraisal for NIMASA said it exceeded the budget sum by N4bn.
He attributed the increase in revenue generation by a 133 percent to measures adopted by his administration to close revenue gaps.
Part of this, according to him was effective monitoring of vessels, enforcement of law, increase in surveillance and debt recovery efforts.
He explained that N110.84bn was the revenue target for 2019, adding that N83.49bn, which represents 74 per cent, was recorded.
He disclosed that N20bn had been spent from the N28bn allocated for the mandatory Maritime Fund.
He also said N20bn was personnel cost, stating that N15.2bn had been spent.
He also told the law makers that out of the N24bn budgted for overhead N12bn was spent from it.
The agency, he said also released the sum of N2.5bn to the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State.
According to him, “As of October 31, we had contributed N16bn into the Consolidated Revenue Fund. We have since increased our contribution and in that contribution, we have exceeded our budget target.”
He also told the lawmakers that his agency was working towards reviewing existing maritime laws to be in tune with modern trends in the industry.
However, the lawmakers however queried NIMASA on the sum of N300 million spent for office cleaning as well as N300 million for insurance of its floating dock.
Chairman of the House Committee, Lynda Chuba Ikpeazu noted also that despite the claim to have spent the sum of N3 billion on the proposed Maritime University, there was nothing much to justify the sum.
The lawmakers expressed concern and wanted to know why N3 billion budgeted for the Maritime Academy of Nigeria project completion was yet to be released even as it had been approved by the National Assembly.
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