President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the recommendation of the Ministry of Transportation under Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi for the setting up of an administrative panel of inquiry to investigate the Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, the president s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said in a statement. When the going was good It was Amaechi who nominated Bala Usman as NPA boss in 2016 because his ministry directly supervises the ports authority one of the most lucrative agencies in the federal bureaucracy. Bala Usman also worked with Amaechi on the Buhari presidential campaign of 2015. Amaechi served as Director General of the Buhari for President campaigns in 2015 and 2019.
Views: Visits 114
The effective suspension of Mrs. Hadiza Bala-Usman as Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) came as a shock to many Nigerians as her removal was not expected.
Announcing her suspension on Thursday, Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said this was to allow for an administrative panel of inquiry to investigate the “management”.
However, what seemed to be amiss was that except Bala-Usman, all members of the management who were appointed by Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, were not suspended.
Sources familiar with the development have told TheCable that Bala-Usman, has been having a cold battle with Amaechi, noting that she is the target of the investigation.
Advertisement
In a statement signed by Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, on Thursday, the suspension followed a recommendation by Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, to set up an administrative panel of inquiry to investigate the management of the NPA.
Buhari also approved the appointment of Mohammed Koko to take over while “the investigation is carried out”.
The panel is to be headed by the director of maritime services in the ministry while the deputy director of legal in the same ministry will serve as secretary.
Advertisement
Bala Usman was first appointed as the NPA MD in July 2016.
In January, President Muhammadu Buhari reappointed her as NPA MD, for an additional five-year tenure.
Advertisement
NAN reports that she spoke at the handover ceremony of Esaie Afri Kouassi, former chief projects officer of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), to his successor, Tantoh Kwalar, on Wednesday.
Bala Usman, who was represented by Olaseni Alakija, general manager, corporate & strategic communications of NPA, said there is a need to articulate and refocus on environmental-related port activities in the sub-region.
She urged members of PMAWCA to increase resilience to develop and remain competitive despite COVID-19 setbacks.
Advertisement
“PMAWCA should encourage member ports to provide needed support for one another and rally together to achieve the milestones that we otherwise could not achieve as individual ports,” NAN quoted Bala Usman to have said.
Vanguard News
Insecurity: Food shortage looms as Niger farmers flee farms
On
By Wole Mosadomi
AS bandits continue to attack and get away with their atrocities without serious challenge from security operatives, many farmers in Niger State have fled their farms and have vowed never to return until security is beefed up around them.
To underscore their seriousness, many of them have already relocated from the farming communities to Minna, the state capital, to escape the brutality of criminals variously described as bandits, kidnappers, hoodlums, cattle rustlers and armed robbers.
Things got to the worst in recent times when the criminals not only attacked and dispossessed the farmers of their possessions, but began to set their houses ablaze as a conquered people, leaving them with nothing to manage their lives with.