Transport Ministry, Parastatals Perform Below 50% In Q2 Report

With four months to the end of the year, the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) of the Federal Ministry of Transport have shown that the ministry has implemented less than 50 percent of its 2014 budget.

In a report presented to the peer review team headed by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Alhaji Bukar Goni, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Nebolisa Emordi, stated that the 2014 budget sought to consolidate and sustain the gains and performance recorded in 2011, 2012, and 2013 budgets by focusing on the completion of on-going projects.

A breakdown of 2014 budget implementation shows that a total of N13,089,041,845.93 was appropriated as total allocation as against N15.7 billion proposed. Out of this, only N3.6 billion was released while N1.5 billion was expanded as capital appropriation, indicating that only 12 percent performance ratio has been achieved.

The report further indicated that 27 percent implementation ratio was achieved on overhead appropriation of N297 million. Out of this, only N140 million was released while N81 million was expended.

Comparatively,however, in 2013, 51 percent budget implementation ratio was achieved as a total of N13,314,411,599.53 was released for capital and overhead expenditure but only N10.7 billion was expended.

The mandate, policies, programmes and projects of the ministry are implemented through its agencies which are: Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC); Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC); National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA); Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT); Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, and Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).

These agencies have their budgets and projects in accordance with their statutory responsibilities but none so far has shown in qualitative terms the implementation of its budget.

But

i gave a blanket assessment of their performances in what he called summary of performance score card.

On NPA, he highlighted that in 2014 approval for Lekki deep sea port was gotten, while Ibaka, Agege, Olokola, Badagry and Ogidigbe / Escravos deep sea ports were being processed.

The continous dredging of the harbours in Lagos and Bonny to accommodate large ocean liners as West African Maximum (WAFMAX) Jumbo cargo vessels that carry 4,500 TEUs instead of conventional vessels of 2,500 TEUs is providing opportunities for transshipment to other ports in Nigeria and neighboring countries, the Permanent Secretary noted.

He added that major infrastructural projects were completed by NPA and were awaiting commissioning.

They are: East and West Moles, Lagos; 1.6 kilometre dual carriageway within Apapa-Lagos Port Complex; Julius Berger Terminal C, Warri Old Port; AMS Terminal B, Warri Old Port; rail rehabilitation in the Apapa Port Complex.

It has been observed that most of these project were 2011,2012 to 2013 projects and appropriated as such.

On NIWA, Onitsha River Port has been reconstructed and commissioned with modern cargo handling equipment; Baro and Oguta River Ports are to be completed by the end of 2014 while Lokoja River Port is expected to be completed in 2015, and upon completion the River Ports will be concessioned to private operators.

Makurdi River Port is in the pipeline for construction as construction of jetties at Buruku, Idah, Agenebode, Pategi, Igbokoda , Degema and Yenogoa are at various stages of completion.

For the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), the report only indicated that it has got approval to operate as the interim economic regulator for the ports, within the half year performance assessment.

For the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the report stated that within the period under review, it had a ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the Nigerian Maritime University and the shipyard / dockyard facilities at Okerekoko, and Kurutie in Delta State.

Major achievements in the rail transport sector, include rehabilitation of the Western line: Lagos – Kano, 1,124km has been completed and functional, while work in the Eastern line:Port Harcourt – Maiduguri 1,657km is in progress, with Port Harcourt – Jos station, including the branch line from Kafanchan to Kaduna which is expected to be completed by August 2014.

Also, construction of Abuja (Idu) – Kaduna Standard gauge rail line is 85 percent completed, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2014.

While feasibility studies for seven new railway corridors have been completed, construction of Lagos – Ibadan standard gauge which is double of 2x180km has been awarded.

It was observed that some of the 2012 and 2013 projects were relisted as 2014 projects under the parastatals performance indicators.

Others agencies under the ministry, such as MAN, CRFFN and NITT have no current record of performance for 2014 fiscal year.