Should Mobereola Be Taking Jibril’s Fall In The NSDP Contract Bribe Saga?

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

It is no longer news that the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) contract bribe scandal that has thrown a total of 296 Nigerian Cadets studying at the Centurion University India has attracted the attention of the presidency.

This is in view of yet another potential reputational image problem currently challenging Nigeria, while still battling the embarrassing Ogun State Government and Chinese Zhongsshan contract brouhaha; which recently snowballed into huge international disgrace for Nigeria; through the seizure of three presidential aircrafts.

Although President Bola Ahmed Tinubu narrowly missed being stranded in France as the impounded assets were his official jets, the timing of the additional scandal by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) managed NSDP contract comes across as one misfortune too cold for comfort.

For a presidency that is still smarting from the France embarrassment, it is understandable the pressure the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy found itself, and the need to decisively contain the raging NIMASA/ SAMET (Springdale Academy of Maritime Education and Training) differences and cross fire; to forestall it from festering and becoming another needless negative on Nigeria’s perceived poor reputational image in the international space.

The story of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, querying the DG NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola based on series of petition bothering on the breach of contract, bribery and exposure of the nation to yet another avoidable global embarrassment is not only a face saving measure as anyone in his shoes is wont to doing but more than that, a necessary tactical self defence bothering on self preservation.

Whereas it is difficult to tell whether or not the query was undertaken to be politically correct or to genuinely address  issue of national importance, at least Nigerians will be waiting to know the outcome, and however it goes, the end  thereof will form part of history, and would also define future contractual businesses not only for NIMASA but for other parastatals.

This is because the presidency already suffused with a number of national issues that is keeping it on its toe, and amid the prevailing atmosphere of sore national mood and general apprehension and anxiety, cannot be trusted to continue to turn blind eyes on certain developments.

Not the least is the current NIMASA/SAMET imbroglio, which some analysts say was needless and avoidable, at the very first whiff of trouble.

While the report of the ministerial query to the DG NIMASA, Mobereola has since passed the realm of speculation,  what perhaps remains confusing is the reason the DG NIMASA and not the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Jubril Abba, appeared to be taking the bullet.

Going by available evidences, whereas the ED Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services is believed to be in the middle of the contract saga with SAMET, the DG NIMASA appears to be taking the fall and not Abba for making himself accessory to facts of  conspiracy to alleged breach of contract, among other likely issues of official misconduct.

It will be recalled that 296 Nigerian Cadets schooling in Centurion University India under NSDP have been stranded since January 2024, allegedly due to the refusal of the new NIMASA management to fulfill its financial obligation, thereto. It is believed that SAMET after failed quiet efforts to make NIMASA respect the contract agreement has confided in the NSDP Cadets its predicament and while it could no longer continue to cater for them.

While still pressing for NIMASA to see reason and to respect the agreement, the Cadets too embarked on a save-our-soul measure as they made public their complaints. But still NIMASA remained unmoved, and not stopping there, the executive management in an inexplicable official arrogance, danced into the public arena, throwing shameless punches and warning that it would not succumb to blackmail.

This is despite evidences of who was oppressing the other between NIMASA and SAMET, and who has been deploying barefaced deceit and official bravado to attempt to cow the other into silence, in the face of the contract disagreement.  While SAMET through its lawyers alleged months of indebtedness by reasons of the strange disrespect for the contracts which alone is the bond for keeping the cadets at school in Indian, NIMASA could not provide convincing evidence of wrong doing warranting the suspension of the contract.

The unspeakable decision did not only jeopardize Nigeria’s image but even exposed 296 Nigerian youths to unwarranted anxieties and uncertainty in far away India.

Authoritative industry newspaper, MMS Plus, which discovered that the DG NIMASA has been queried over the unsatisfactory manner he was handling the matter, the newspaper informed that although the contract preceded Mobereola together with his management team, it indicated the new management was alleged to have tried to test the waters to see if it would succeed in browbeating SAMET to part with something.

As the consulting arm of the Centurion University, SAMET is responsible for the training of the Nigerian Cadets for undergraduate degrees in Nautical  Science and Marine Engineering including Sea Time placement and the issuance of the Certificate of Competency (CoC).

According to MMS Plus report, SAMET has so far discharged its responsibility satisfactorily in the past four years until the new NIMASA executive management allegedly stood down the contract from further operation.

The stranded Cadets complained that they have been suffering as they are not able to meet their basic needs in India because of the stoppage of the payment of their monthly stipend by SAMET. They claimed that the school authority explained to them that NIMASA had reneged on the contract agreement for which their training is based.

In the bid to break the logjam, SAMET through its Attorney, Kunle Adegoke & Co. and AI Law Firm, both in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, are believed to have written several letters to both the management of NIMASA, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Attorney General of the Federation, among others, to respect the agreement; all to no avail.

In one of such letters dated July 22, 2024 and addressed to the Director General of NIMASA with the title “ Springdale Academy of Maritime  Education and Training  Formal Complaint Regarding the Conduct of ED ML &CS NIMASA: Harassment, Bullying and Contractual  Discrepancies”, AI Law firm, alleged that their client’s character was defamed by the ED Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services during a meeting.

This is even as speculation is rife that some NIMASA officials have demanded “settlement” before they can reactivate payment according to the terms of the contract.

The ministerial query letter dated  August 28,2024, signed  on behalf of the Minister by the Director, Maritime Safety  and Security, Babatunde Bombata, reads: “I am directed to forward herewith a copy of the attached self-explanatory correspondence addressed to your Agency, copied the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice  and to the Honourable Minister of  Marine and Blue Economy respectively, dated 19th July,2024 on the above subject from the Law Firm of Kunle Adegoke & Co., a Solicitor  to the Springdale Academy of Maritime Education and Training Trust(SAMET) for your necessary input/comments.”

According to MMS Plus, although the letter was addressed to the Director General  NIMASA, it was attention to  the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Jubril Abba.

The letter reads further : “I am to request you to kindly respond to allegations raised in the aforesaid letter with utmost urgency, seven(7) days from the date of receipt of this letter to enable the Ministry/Minister Act as appropriate”.

Despite that Mobereola has denied media reports that suggest that NIMASA has not not asked the cadets to return home, there is no evidence showing that he has undertaken to resolve the impasse, either.

Penultimate week,  the DG NIMASA has accused SAMET of attempts to arm-twist the Agency into accepting secret changes introduced into the Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) for the training of the NSDP cadets at the Centurion University India.

Mobereola said while he has no reason to cancel the contract and make the cadets return home, he said he also has no intention of allowing itself to be vilified by SAMET, accusing the vendor of instigating a campaign of calumny against NIMASA.

NIMASA in a statement described media reports claiming it plans to withdraw the NSDP cadets from Centurion University India as untrue, adding that the Agency is only carrying out due diligence on the existing MoU.

“We are not recalling any NSDP beneficiary from Centurion University. We are only working to close out all identified gaps in the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) before proceeding to the next stage.

“A situation where the Agency entered into a contractual agreement with Springdale Academy of Maritime Education and Training, (SAMET) with agreed courses and timelines only to be faced with additional course duration and an alien programme by the agent, SAMET, unilaterally converting the programme without the consent of the Agency as prescribed by the MoU may not be in the best interest of the students.”

In the bid to square up with SAMET, Mobereola revealed that the contract was not properly done by the authorizing management, a dimension that suggests that the contract was not honestly and holistically entered into.

“There were issues of non-accreditation of one of the institutions as at the time of the execution of MoU, change of course from Marine engineering to Mechanical engineering without recourse to the Agency, preparing the grounds for additional years of studies and uncertainties for the students, raising issues related to funding, and the various third parties arrangements without duly informing the Agency.

“We are aware of orchestrated media campaigns and petitions against the Agency reviewing the existing arrangement. We will not give in to blackmail as the safety and wellbeing of our students are paramount”, he said.

Meanwhile, SAMET through its solicitors in England and Nigeria, has petitioned NIMASA DG, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and the Attorney General of the Federation over an alleged unwholesome attitude of the  Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr Jibril ABBA, who SAMET accused of attempt at subvert the MoU.

Apart from some weak inferences the Mobereola led executive management of NIMASA has as yet provided any convincing evidence of the alleged tempering with the contractual agreement by SAMET. Although this is not the first time NIMASA and NSDP Cadets have become subject of intense media attraction, it is perhaps the first time associated challenges, deliberate or otherwise has been allowed to spin out of control, needlessly, to the point of agitating the presidency and warranting a query and probe.

While SAMET has pointedly accused NIMASA of unethical behaviour, the later appeared to have struggled to talk back by waving irreverent finger in a fit of righteous indignation, but which is devoid of substance.

Introduced in 2009, the NSDP was designed to encourage and enlist eligible youths into employment opportunities in the marine and blue economy, via sponsored capacity training in overseas universities.