By Uzor Odigbo
Foremost maritime expert and President of National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Mr. Lucky Amiwero, has disclosed that it was not the duty of the government to rebuilt the burnt Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) headquarters since the building was insured for fire and theft.
He explained that since NPA management did not default in premium payments, it is the responsibility of the insurer to rehabilitate the building and replace stolen items.
He said: “There are classes of insurance but if the losses suffered by the NPA in the incident were covered, then the insurer takes full responsibility for indeminifying the the insured of the losses suffered. That is the essence of insurance.
“Going again to take money from government is double charge. I don’t want to call it fraud.
“Once the building is insured, the insurance company takes responsibility for everything; that is the truth,” Amiwero said.
Recall that when the lawmakers from the National Assembly visited the NPA headquarters recently to assess the level of damage and loss, they asked the Management of NPA to jack up its 2021 budget to cover for the rehabilitation and replacement of stolen equipment.
During the visit, the Chairman, House of Reresentatives Committe on Ports and Harbour, Garba Datti Muhammad, said that members, both of the chambers of the National Assembly, were in Lagos to assess the level of damage done to the NPA building.
“We have gone round and seen the extent of the damage to the building and vehicles that were burnt in the fire incident. This will help the National Assembly to assist NPA in rebuilding the damage on the torched building.
“However, part of our discussion with them 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.
Meanwhile, the General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communication of NPA, Adam Jato, confirmed that the facility was fully insured by a consortium of insurers.
Though he did not disclose the names of the insurance companies, he said that the lead insurance underwriter has appointed a Loss Adjuster to assess the value of damage and loss NPA suffered as a result of the incident.
Jato, who did not refute NPA’s plan to jack up its 2021 budget to accommodate the cost of reconstruction of the building and replacement of looted equipment as advised by the lawmakers, said that as NPA’s 2021 budget was yet to be approved, the figure the Ports Authority would be getting would be in the public domain when it is finally approved by the National Assembly.