Business
INTELS Determines Revenue Sharing Formula With FG – NPA
The House of Representatives heard last Wednesday that the revenue collection contract between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Integrated Logistics Services Limited (INTELs) hugely favoured the latter such that the firm determined the Federal Government’s share.
The NPA and INTELS signed a two-legged agreement in 2010 allowing the firm to collect revenue on behalf of the Federal Government on some port operations.
The Managing Director, NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman told an adhoc Committee of the House in Abuja that the agreement was silent on the sharing formula of the revenue generated by the firm.
She stated that this left INTELS with the power to decide how much it would remit to the Federal Government from any available balance after it had taken a percentage for its services.
The committee, which is chaired by the Deputy Whip of the House, Mr. Pally Iriase, is investigating the circumstances leading to the termination of the contract last year.
Bala-Usman told the committee that the agreement she met on assuming duties at the NPA in 2016 allowed Intels to take 28 per cent of the generated revenue for its services.
She added that the balance of 72 per cent would later be shared between the NPA and Intels.
However, she explained that it was INTELs that decided how much should go to the NPA from the 72 per cent, as the contract was silent on that.
She stated, “The agreement was silent on this aspect. There was nothing suggesting how the balance would be shared.
“So, this gave Intels the power to decide what share to leave for the government and so on.”
The NPA MD recalled that up to 2013, the average monthly remittance by INTELs was $3m.
She added that the remittance rose to $5.6m in 2014 after some negotiations and later dropped to $4m in subsequent years.
However, Bala-Usman informed the committee that a dispute arose between the NPA and INTELs in June 2016 after the firm declined to comply with the Treasury Single Account policy of the government.
She said the NPA communicated the government’s decision to have all public revenues paid into a central account following which invoices would be issued for INTELs to be reimbursed.
She added, “But, INTELs declined and chose to continue to keep the revenue. In May 2017, we sought the advice of the Attorney General of the Federation (Abubakar Malami), who appropriately advised that Intels must comply with the TSA policy or the contract should be terminated.
“Based on the advice of the AGF, a notice of termination was issued to Intels.”
However, she admitted that following the face-off, Intels later apologised to the NPA and agreed to comply with the TSA policy.
“So, since September 2017, Intels started complying with the policy, though we have not received the advice of the AGF on the withdrawal of the termination. But, they have been complying since September 2017. Between 2016 and 2017, Intels had collected $48m,” she added.
Out of the money, Bala-Usman said the NPA confirmed the remittance of $28.1m into the TSA, while another payment of $14.5m reported by Intels had yet to be confirmed.
According to the MD, both the NPA and INTELs would have to do some reconciliation to clarify whether the two payments came from the $48m or from other sources.
Commenting on the unfavourable nature of the agreement, Iriase noted, “Nigeria is worse off with this type of arrangement.”
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FG Fixes Uniform Prices for Housing Units Nationwide, Approves N12.5m For 3-bedroom Bungalow ……..Says Move To Enhance Affordability, Ensures Fairness
 
														“The approved selling prices are as follows: One-bedroom semi-detached bungalow, N8.5 million; two-bedroom semi-detached bungalow: N11.5 million and three-bedroom semi-detached bungalow, N12.5 million,” the statement added.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, stated that priority in the allocation of the housing units would be given to low and middle-income earners, civil servants at all levels of government, employees in the organised private sector with verifiable sources of income, and Nigerians in the Diaspora who wish to own homes in the country.
The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, explained that several payment options have been provided to make the houses affordable and flexible. These include outright (full) payment, mortgage, rent-to-own scheme, and installment payment plans.
The ministry further announced that the sale of the completed housing units across the northern and southern regions will soon commence.
“Applications can be made through the Renewed Hope Housing online portal at www.renewedhopehomes.fmhud.
The ministry, however, clarified that the approved prices apply strictly to the Renewed Hope Housing Estates which are funded through the ministry’s budgetary allocation, as against the Renewed Hope Cities in Karsana Abuja, Janguza Kano, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos which are being funded through a Public Private Partnership (PPP).
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