Tompolo’s contract not terminated – Peterside

Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, has said the offshore responsibilities enforcement contract awarded Global West Fleet Limited, a firm owned by former Niger Delta militant leader, Chief Government Ekpomopulo, popularly known as Tompolo, has not been terminated by the agency.

He said the contract given to Tompolo’s firm is different from the debt recovery and revenue enhancement contract that was recently awarded to a financial firm, Sneco Financial Services.

Peterside, who spoke to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, said although there was nothing wrong with the model of the contract to Global West, it was, however, abused and currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He said, “The Global West contract is to supply vessels to NIMASA and NIMASA will pay you back over a period of 10 years. In addition to supplying NIMASA vessels, help NIMASA in the enforcement of its responsibilities offshore and the revenue that is derivable from that enforcement activities will be shared between NIMASA and Global West as a partner, who invested his money to acquire assets.

“The contract is you, Global West, go and acquire assets for NIMASA. Acquire security boats, acquire intervention vessels, acquire helicopters. When you acquire all those things, we will pay you back within a period of 10 years. Now, you help us in the enforcement and whatever revenue you generate above what we are earning now, it will be shared between Global West and NIMASA.’’

“That is a different contract and it is still subsisting till now. It has not been cancelled. It was not terminated. I will continue to say that there was nothing wrong with that model but that model was abused and it is subject to investigation by the EFCC.

“What was given to Sneco is debt recovery and revenue enhancement. That is a different contract. Now, the APC chairman in Rivers State is neither a director in Sneco; he is not a shareholder and he is not in the board of Sneco. So, what is the connection between the APC chairman and Sneco Financial Services.”