#ENDSARS: NASS promises to back NPA in rebuilding torched headquarters, damaged assets

The National Assembly has promised to support the management and staff of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in ensuring that the damaged parts of its headquarter building in Marina, Lagos, and all the assets that were torched by hoodlums during the nationwide #ENDSARS protest that took place two weeks, are rebuilt.

Speaking to newsmen in Lagos on Thursday during the visit of the National Assembly Committees to the NPA, led by chairman, Garba Datti Muhammad, House of Representatives Committee on Ports and Harbours, said the Senate and Representative Committees came on a joint visit to commiserate with the NPA management and staff, and to assess the extent of the damage that was done on the headquarters building by hoodlums.

“We have gone round and seen the extent of the damage to the building and vehicles that was burnt in the fire incident. This will help the National Assembly to assist NPA in rebuilding the damaged on the torched building. However, part of our discussion was for the NPA to bring its budget to the National Assembly because we advised them to adjust the budget to accommodate the rebuilding of the damages,” he explained.

Muhammad, who acknowledged that most of the NPA’s critical infrastructures such as vehicles are insured, said there was no way that the insurance companies would bear the entire cost of the repair.

Also, Tolu Odebiyi, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, who affirmed that the committee was there to take physical assessment of the damage done during the arson on the NPA building, said the visit was also to talk to the management to ensure that such atrocity on an important managers of the gateway to the nation’s economy would not repeat itself.

According to him, it was an extensive damage that was done on the building as well as the authority’s assets even as he commended the management of the NPA for their proactive attitude in cleaning up the compound and getting their staff back to work.

“We assured them that the National Assembly remains in full support of them. We will give them our full backing to carry out all the reform policies and transformation that are ongoing. We also told them to extend to us all the budget alteration if there is any, to enable them carry out the repairs,” he added.

While noting that the incident that happened was rather very unfortunate, he said that it was a peaceful protest that was carried out by Nigerian youths, which was hijacked by hoodlums that took the advantage to go after some prime national assets.

He however assured that after the full report of what happened nationwide is obtained, that the National Assembly is going to ensure adequate security of national assets to prevent a repeat of what happened, and to also meet the request of the protesters.

Responding, Hadiza Bala Usman, managing director of the NPA, commended the leadership of the National Assembly for their support in sending delegation to assess the extent of the damage, and to make them available to NPA in terms of extra spending that may be needed to supplement the expenses that may be recovered from the insurers.

She said that the NPA has full insurance cover but to the extent that there may be gaps, that the authority appreciates that the National Assembly is willing to support the NPA.

Recall that the Tin-Can Island Port was attacked on Tuesday October 20th 2020 when hoodlums made an attempt to forcefully gain access into the port, attacked the administrative building and set ablaze a truck which was evacuating cargo. On Wednesday October 21st 2020, the headquarters of NPA in Marina was attacked and several assets burnt.