CSO asks Tinubu to ensure due process in award of pre-shipment oil and gas contracts

The Transparency Alliance Network, a civil society organisation, has asked President Bola Tinubu and the national assembly to ensure due process in the award of pre-shipment of oil and gas contracts.

The CSO, in a statement on Wednesday duly signed by Zakary Zubairu, its national coordinator, drew the attention of the president to the “antics of those bent on subverting the already concluded bidding process” for the engagement of consultants for the Pre-Shipment Inspection Agents (PIAs) and Monitoring/Evaluation Agents (MEAs) under the Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) in the oil and gas sector by replacing the names of companies who won the bids with their preferred companies.

The CSO maintained that its resolve to speak against the breach of due process on the matter was in the best interest of the nation.

The Transparency Alliance Network had raised the alarm that some vested interests had replaced names of companies that bided for the engagement of consultants for the Pre-Shipment Inspection Agents (PIAs) and Monitoring/Evaluation Agents (MEAs) calling on the president to safeguard the procurement act as well as the rule of law.

The group vowed to continue exposing some individuals “who have turned themselves into demigods and lawbreakers using their influence to defraud Nigerians and go against the anti-corruption stance of the president”.

The group also claimed it has “credible and irrefutable evidence” that some persons have hijacked an already concluded bidding process for the engagement of consultants for PIAs and MEAs, “with an approval letter duly signed and issued by President Muhammadu Buhari referenced PRES/87/MF/314 to 8 companies and replaced them with their personal companies with no experience and expertise in the Oil and Gas sector”.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the companies that were engaged as consultants on the 15th of May, 2023 in the approval letter quoted above were; Messrs Troboil International Nigeria Limited, Trust Global Services Limited, Kephron Business Limited, Robinson International Energy Limited, Marybel Nigeria Limited. Others are; Candid Oil Services Limited, Beachstone Limited, General Marine and Oil Services Limited and Patibon Services Limited,” the group side.

“Of all the companies that won the bid based on their track record of experience and expertise, only Patibon Services Limited and and Candid Oil Limited that made the list finally released on the 25th of October, 2023 vide a letter with reference PRES/87/MF/8.

“For those still in doubt about the corruption regarding the PIAs and MEAs consultants engagement, the resolve of the House of Representatives to investigate alleged abuse, breach, and violation of the Public Procurement Act in the engagement of consultants for pre-shipment inspection and monitoring of crude oil and gas exports from Nigeria which led to the loss of $160 million has vindicated us.

“No amount of blackmailing and arm twisting will silence us until the right thing is done. Our prayer is that the House of Representatives will do act swiftly to forestall the loss of billions of dollars with the kind collaboration and support of Mr. President.”