By Isaac Anumihe
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has taken over the ownership of Agura Hotels, Abuja after a prolonged legal battled which ended in favour of NPA against Fasel Services Limited, Omeire Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry Limited, Chief M.O. Kanu and Daniel Kanu.
In a statement, Assistant General Manager, Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr Nasiru Ibrahim, said that in 2003, an Abuja Federal High Court upheld the NPA as the majority shareholders of Fasel Services Limited, a judgement which was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in 2017.
Arising from a board meeting of the hotel held on September 20, 2017, the NPA management announced that it has assumed full control of the establishment with its Managing Director, Hadiza Bala Usman as Chairman while Chief Michael Kayode Ajayi, has been appointed interim General Manager of the hotel.
Meanwhile, the new board of the hotel has approved that a forensic audit of its operation be carried out immediately while its head of finance has been asked to step down and hand over all relevant financial instruments to the newly- appointed General Manager.
In addition, the board has directed that all bank accounts hitherto operated by the former management be frozen while new accounts be opened to enable swift and continuous operation of the hotel.