Hadiza Bala Usman, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has been suspended while an Administrative Panel of Inquiry investigates the management of the agency.
Garba Shehu, the Spokesperson to the Nigerian President confirmed the news late on Thursday via his Twitter handle, revealing that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the recommendation of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Usman has been immediately replaced by Mohammed Koko, the Director of Finance who will act on the interim as the MD/CEO of the NPA. The panel of inquiry is to be headed by the Director, Maritime Services of the Ministry, while Deputy Director, Legal of same ministry will act as the panel’s Secretary.
Other members of the panel, according to the President’s Spokesperson will be appointed by the Minister.
Amaechi and Usman, who was appointed in 2016 have been on a long-running war of attrition over the control of the NPA.
Usman was Chief of Staff to Kaduna State Governor between 2015 and 2016 and is one of the campaigners for the rescue of abducted Chibok schoolgirls under the umbrella of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaign.
