Sequel to application filed by two concessionaires operating at the Tin Can Island, Lagos, the National Council on Privatization (NCP) on Friday granted each of the firms five-year extension.
According to the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Benjamin Dikki, the concessionaires are Joseph Dam Port Services that controls Tin Can Island and Five Star Logistics, handling the rural terminals on Tin Can Island.
Dikki disclosed this to State House correspondents after the first NCP meeting of the year presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo.
According to the BPE boss, “The Council considered the application of Joseph Dam Port Services Nig Ltd for the concessionaire of Tin Can Island Port for the extension of the lease period.
“When the lease was granted to Joseph Dam, there was a court case that restrained Joseph Dam from taking over and conducting its obligations of the concessioned contract. And the case dragged on for over four years.
“So Council considered the application and reviewed the issues and granted an extension of the lease period by five years for Joseph Dam Port Services Ltd in respect of Tin Can Island Ports Lagos.
“The second company whose issues were reviewed also is Five Star Logistics, who are handling the concession of the rural terminals on Tin Can Island.
“There were other obligations that government was committed to like dredging of the ports, mending of some of the collapsed parts of the ports which have not been done and this has extensively restricted the area of operation off the concessionaire.
“The National Council of Privatization reviewed the matter holistically and has graciously granted a five-year extension to Five Star Logistics in respect of the rural terminals in Tin Can Island”.
Another matter considered by the NCP the was the need to settle all outstanding issues relating to the privatization of the power sector especially the settlement of PHCN workers’ entitlements.
A member of the Council and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Godsknow Igali, who spoke on this said BPE, has been directed to “move immediately with the relevant MDAs to look into all kinds of issues that have come up and settle not just the power sector issues that are outstanding but other sectors that are outstanding”.
Consequently, BPE would look into other residual issues that need verification and capturing of biometrics particularly with pensioners of PHCN workers who were not part of the immediate privatization exercise but are genuine PHCN workers who have not been paid their pensions.
“BPE reported along with the technical committee which I chair that we are now in the process of doing biometric capture of any PHCN worker who even though was not recently served but in the past who has not been paid his pensions.
“We have captured about 50 per cent of them and after a meeting with the National Union of Pensioners by the BPE, it was reported that we are now going to work with National Union of Pensioners to make sure that their pension allowance is paid after verification and they have been captured”.
Igali also assured that the money for the settlement is being kept in the Central Bank to make sure they are paid after the verification exercise.
