By Our Correspondent

Officials of the Bureau of Public Enterprise, BPE, National Council on Privatization, NCP and the Federal Ministry of Transport have been accused of plot to take over Warri Port Old Terminal ‘B’ in Delta State “for themselves through their cronies”.

This accusation was made by NPA Warri Port Stakeholders’ Forum in a petition dated April 28, 2015 and addressed to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

In the petition titled, “Re: Fraudulent concession of the NPA Warri Old Port Terminal ‘B’ by the BPE/NCP”, the Warri Port Stakeholders queried the rationale behind BPE/NCP officials delving into concessioning of the said terminal ‘B’ when “there is a body already set up by law to undertake such concessioning.

The petitioners, Messrs Emiko Oghomienor, Tommy Gbugbuda, Oritsema Olley and Jonathan Duris Orugbor vowed that they “shall ensure that the incoming administration deal with this issue frontally,” adding that “there shall be no hiding place for these unscrupulous acts and the officials behind them”.

While coping other relevant stakeholders, the Warri Port stakeholders noted that the BPE has been directed by the NCP to invite seven prospective concessionaires that met their criteria for terminal ‘B’ Warri Old Port for submission of proposals, yet they have been defiant, describing the action as a “violation of the law and a clear usurpation of the functions of the infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC.

They called on the Presidency to put a final stop to the activities of the BPE/NCP to save the Warri Port Terminal ‘B’ from imminent economic collapse.