The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the performance and benefits accruing to the Federal Government from concessionaire-operated ports has threatened to invoke its constitutional powers to compel government agencies to appear before it for questioning.
Consequently, the committee has warned the Chief Executives of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to avail themselves of the final opportunity to submit to the panel, or have themselves to blame.
Addressing journalists on Friday in Abuja, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Kolawale Akinlayo, lamented the behaviour of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government to the invitations extended to them by the committee, warning that failure to submit the required documents would render the works of the panel difficult.
The Ad-Hoc Committee was inaugurated on February 3, 2026 by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, to, among others, examine the terms and conditions of concession agreements entered into from 2006 to 2025; assess revenue flows, remittances, and other financial benefits accruing to the Federal Government and its agencies and review the compliance with contractual, regulatory, and safety obligations by concessionaires.
Others included appraising the infrastructural development, operational efficiency, service quality, and labour issues; identifying challenges, gaps, and systemic weaknesses within the concession framework; and formulating clear and practicable recommendations to improve policy, legislation, and future concession arrangements.
According to Akinlayo, the committee was constituted “In response to growing national concern over the management, performance, transparency, and value outcomes of concession arrangements governing some of Nigeria’s most strategic public assets.
“These assets—our seaports, airports, terminals, and jetties—are not ordinary commercial facilities; they are sovereign economic gateways, national security infrastructure, and critical enablers of trade, mobility, and development.”
He added that since the commencement of the exercise, “Members of the committee have approached their mandate with the highest sense of duty, responsibility, professionalism, and commitment to the national interest. We have been transparent and very democratic in the exercise of our powers and have restrained ourselves from high-handedness.
“Unfortunately, more than one month into this onerous assignment, we have been faced with the daunting challenge of compelling relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government to appear and provide the necessary and required information to enable the committee to complete its work within the stipulated time. Although some stakeholders have been very cooperative.
“We are sounding a word of warning to heads of MDAs and their management not to constitute a clog in the wheel of this committee in carrying out this assignment.
“Many of the important agencies have on several occasions deliberately refused to honour the invitation of the committee for no just cause. In fact, some of the agencies that have so far appeared before the committee could not submit the required documents. For example, the Nigerian Customs Service had appeared before us but disappointedly failed to comply fully with our requests.
“We wish to give the last warning to the chief executive officers and heads of the following agencies to change their attitude towards the committee, or have themselves to blame. They include the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigeria LNG Limited, INTELS and Julius Berger Plc.”
Akinlayo said the committee’s patience has been exhausted, stressing, “we will no longer tolerate contempt of the parliament, and we have resolved to invoke the statutory constitutional provisions to compel any erring CEO/head to appear before it.”
According to him, the committee has several options to compel agencies to appear before it, including issuance of summons, warrants and fines “when its orders, as approved by the Constitution, are violated.
“In more drastic instances, the legislature has the constitutional power to recommend the removal of office holders, where it is believed that the office holder(s) is not effectively discharging his constitutional or statutory duties.”
He continued, “I wish to state without mincing words that this committee will not hesitate to subpoena any disrespectful and uncooperative CEO/head of MDAs. We will not develop cold feet in directing the Inspector General of Police to arrest any CEO or head of MDAs who fail to honour our invitation.
“Anyone who is out to sabotage our work will no longer be given the oxygen to undermine the legislature. We shall invoke the necessary constitutional provisions to compel compliance with the directives of the committee.”
The PUNCH
The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the performance and benefits accruing to the Federal Government from concessionaire-operated ports has threatened to invoke its constitutional powers to compel government agencies to appear before it for questioning.
Consequently, the committee has warned the Chief Executives of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to avail themselves of the final opportunity to submit to the panel, or have themselves to blame.
Addressing journalists on Friday in Abuja, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Kolawale Akinlayo, lamented the behaviour of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government to the invitations extended to them by the committee, warning that failure to submit the required documents would render the works of the panel difficult.
The Ad-Hoc Committee was inaugurated on February 3, 2026 by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, to, among others, examine the terms and conditions of concession agreements entered into from 2006 to 2025; assess revenue flows, remittances, and other financial benefits accruing to the Federal Government and its agencies and review the compliance with contractual, regulatory, and safety obligations by concessionaires.
Others included appraising the infrastructural development, operational efficiency, service quality, and labour issues; identifying challenges, gaps, and systemic weaknesses within the concession framework; and formulating clear and practicable recommendations to improve policy, legislation, and future concession arrangements.
According to Akinlayo, the committee was constituted “In response to growing national concern over the management, performance, transparency, and value outcomes of concession arrangements governing some of Nigeria’s most strategic public assets.
“These assets—our seaports, airports, terminals, and jetties—are not ordinary commercial facilities; they are sovereign economic gateways, national security infrastructure, and critical enablers of trade, mobility, and development.”
He added that since the commencement of the exercise, “Members of the committee have approached their mandate with the highest sense of duty, responsibility, professionalism, and commitment to the national interest. We have been transparent and very democratic in the exercise of our powers and have restrained ourselves from high-handedness.
“Unfortunately, more than one month into this onerous assignment, we have been faced with the daunting challenge of compelling relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government to appear and provide the necessary and required information to enable the committee to complete its work within the stipulated time. Although some stakeholders have been very cooperative.
“We are sounding a word of warning to heads of MDAs and their management not to constitute a clog in the wheel of this committee in carrying out this assignment.
“Many of the important agencies have on several occasions deliberately refused to honour the invitation of the committee for no just cause. In fact, some of the agencies that have so far appeared before the committee could not submit the required documents. For example, the Nigerian Customs Service had appeared before us but disappointedly failed to comply fully with our requests.
“We wish to give the last warning to the chief executive officers and heads of the following agencies to change their attitude towards the committee, or have themselves to blame. They include the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigeria LNG Limited, INTELS and Julius Berger Plc.”
Akinlayo said the committee’s patience has been exhausted, stressing, “we will no longer tolerate contempt of the parliament, and we have resolved to invoke the statutory constitutional provisions to compel any erring CEO/head to appear before it.”
According to him, the committee has several options to compel agencies to appear before it, including issuance of summons, warrants and fines “when its orders, as approved by the Constitution, are violated.
“In more drastic instances, the legislature has the constitutional power to recommend the removal of office holders, where it is believed that the office holder(s) is not effectively discharging his constitutional or statutory duties.”
He continued, “I wish to state without mincing words that this committee will not hesitate to subpoena any disrespectful and uncooperative CEO/head of MDAs. We will not develop cold feet in directing the Inspector General of Police to arrest any CEO or head of MDAs who fail to honour our invitation.
“Anyone who is out to sabotage our work will no longer be given the oxygen to undermine the legislature. We shall invoke the necessary constitutional provisions to compel compliance with the directives of the committee.”
The PUNCH