By Uzoma Akobundu
Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman,
Barely three days to the expiration of the deadline given to Intels Nigeria Limited by the federal government to leave the country, the company has decided to eat the humble pie.
The federal government, through the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) had, two weeks ago, given the Intels expatriate staff up to November 30 to leave the country or they would be deported.
The government had earlier came down on them over their residence permits before directing that they quit or be deported come November ending.
We got it on good authority that Intels has apologised over its initial posture on the Treasury Single Account (TSA) which is the bone of contention between Intels and the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).
It did in a letter dated October 25, signed by one of its directors, Silvano Bellinato.
Bellinato apologised on behalf of the company’s chief executive, Gabrielle Volpi, to the NPA’s Managing Director, Hadiza Bala-Usman, stating their preparedness to comply with the TSA policy.
Bellinato wrote: “Our Chairman, Mr. Gabrielle Volpi, has apologised for the miscommunication and misunderstanding so far – given the complexity of the matter pertaining to, from one side, the important and continuing role played by the Intels Group through the years in the service of the Nigerian Ports Authority and, on the other hand, the necessity for the NPA to have all the money related to the boat service activity conveyed to into the Treasury Single Account, TSA.
“Consequently, without prejudice to our signed agreements, Mr. Volpi, on behalf of our board, has directed we pay all proceeds relating to the pilotage services into the TSA held in the Central Bank of Nigeria as you have directed, while the NPA will then pay all the receipts due and payable to our company within seven working days -as you have promised, on the back of an irrevocable payment standing order to be issued by the CBN to give comfort to our bankers who have financed the infrastructure we continue to provide to the NPA….
“We believe that an irrevocable confirmation of payment of the Central Bank of Nigeria serves the purpose and adequately safeguards the demands of our bankers and auditors, in order to meet mutual interests and requirements.”