Antaser Nigeria Restricted/Antaser Afrique Bvba, one of many 5 corporations allegedly utilized by prime Nigerian authorities officers to overrule former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Govt Order and hijack the Worldwide Cargo Monitoring Be aware Scheme contract, has debunked the allegation.
In a rejoinder signed by Emmanuel Aiyegbeni, Normal Supervisor of Company Communications, the corporate denied allegations of hijacking the Worldwide Cargo Monitoring Be aware Scheme contract.
The rebuttal comes after a report by a web-based newspaper, citing human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), alleging that prime Nigerian authorities officers disregarded former President Buhari’s Govt Order and awarded the contract to 5 corporations.
Media experiences had quoted the then Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, as asserting 5 corporations that the Worldwide Cargo Monitoring Be aware Scheme contract was awarded to, together with Antaser Nigeria Restricted/Antaser Afrique Bvba.
“The consortium might be led by the technical companion, Antaser Afrique BVBA, a Belgium-based firm. The opposite native corporations are MSSRS Velocity logistics and marine companies, Saham’s Crystal Investments Restricted, Winslow Logistics Restricted and Equal Logistics Restricted.
“The concession is for a interval of 15 years to allow the buyers to recoup their investments between years 12 and 15. It’s anticipated that this scheme will generate revenues to the federal authorities starting from about $90m every year to a peak of about $235m every year,” the then minister was quoted as saying.
Nevertheless, Falana claimed the Nigerian authorities was denied a income of $500 million by a bunch of corrupt public officers who allegedly hijacked the contract.
However, in its response to the human rights lawyer’s declare, Antaser Nigeria Restricted/Antaser Afrique Bvba stated that Falana’s statements could have been made in error, probably as a consequence of being misinformed relating to pertinent details within the matter.
The rejoinder learn, “Our consideration has been drawn to a publication by Sahara Reporters on August 11, 2024, attributing allegations to Mr. Femi Falana SAN, regarding the purported lack of due course of and hijack in awarding the Worldwide Cargo Monitoring Be aware (ICTN) mission to Antaser Nigeria Restricted/Antaser Afrique Bvba, in a consortium with 4 different corporations.
“We categorically refute these allegations and current the next verifiable details.
“As these allegations had been attributed to Mr. Femi Falana SAN, the revered advocate for social justice, we imagine that his statements could have been made in error, probably as a consequence of being misinformed relating to pertinent details within the matter.
“In mild of this, and given the details now we have shared hereunder, we encourage the realized SAN, together with Sahara Reporters, to utilize the Freedom of Data Act to confirm the details from all related companies and ministries concerned within the procurement course of and share their findings with the general public.
“We hereby want to state the details as follows: Clarification of TPMS Engagement and Termination: The Transport and Port Administration System (TPMS) was engaged by the Nigerian Ports Authority in 2010 for the operation of ICTN.
“This engagement was initially suspended because of the ongoing port reform chaired by the then Minister of Finance/Coordinating Minister of the Financial system, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
“However shortly after, the federal government and all of the stakeholders noticed the immense advantages of ICTN and demanded its speedy reinstatement.
“Shortly after reinstatement, the contract was terminated as a consequence of TPMS’s non-remittance of the particular accrued income to the Federal Authorities.
“The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) confirmed that Antaser Afrique Bvba, as a technical companion to TPMS, promptly remitted all monies because of the authorities, resulting in Antaser Afrique’s full exoneration, whereas TPMS was indicted, prosecuted, and finally convicted.”
It stated the re-introduction of ICTN beneath President Buhari was “initially plagued with irregularities, together with a number of anticipatory approvals to numerous consultant corporations together with an try to foist one more agent on the Nigerian ICTN scheme.”
It continued, “Upon complete authorized {and professional} evaluate, President Buhari was suggested to cancel all ongoing procurement processes throughout a number of Federal Ministries, together with Finance, Petroleum, and Transport, and to centralize the method beneath the Nigerian Shippers Council.
“The directive was to interact the know-how homeowners immediately by a procurement course of, in the perfect curiosity of Nigeria.
“Problem to Claims of Govt Order: We unequivocally state that no government order was issued to any firm relating to this matter. We problem anybody to supply any documentation, resembling a white paper, that proves in any other case.
“Antaser Nigeria’s Reputable Award: The Federal Authorities, by the Nigerian Shippers Council, invited Antaser Nigeria Restricted through direct procurement to implement the ICTN scheme, together with crude oil exports, for 15 years on a “No Treatment, No Pay” foundation, with a 60:40 revenue-sharing ratio favoring the Federal Authorities.
“So far, our bid proposal stays the one legitimate ICTN scheme award, duly accepted by all related authorities companies and the Federal Govt Council.”
Antaser Afrique Bvba stated in collaboration with its Nigerian subsidiary, it pioneered the Digital Cargo Monitoring Be aware, providing a worldwide community to watch real-time commerce info from origin to vacation spot.
Concerning the contract’s alignment with Nigeria’s wants, the corporate stated, “We totally agree with Mr. Falana SAN on the urgency of implementing the ICTN scheme in Nigeria, given its quite a few advantages, together with: Checking the importation of arms, ammunition, and different banned substances; stopping under-declaration and over-declaration of products; addressing under-invoicing and over-invoicing of products, D: Curbing company oil theft and different malfeasance within the petroleum trade; offering real-time statistics for financial planning; considerably rising authorities income.”
“Consortium and Native Content material Contribution:The 4 different corporations within the consortium—Velocity Logistics Ltd, Winslow Logistics Ltd, Equal Logistics Ltd, and Sahams Crystal Funding Ltd—had been chosen solely to offer native content material assist companies,” it added.
