On Thursday May 6th, President Muhammadu Buhari authorised the suspension of Hadiza Bala-Usman, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), to allow for an investigation into allegations leveled against her.
This was disclosed by presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu.
Read full statement by Mr Shehu below.
PRESIDENT BUHARI APPROVES PANEL OF INQUIRY ON NPA, ASKS MD, HADIZA USMAN TO STEP ASIDE
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 has also approved that the Managing Director, Hadiza Bala Usman step aside while the investigation is carried out. Mr Mohammed Koko will act in that position.
The panel is to be headed by the Director, Maritime Services of the Ministry while the Deputy Director, Legal of the same ministry will serve as Secretary.
Other members of the panel will be appointed by the Minister.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
11 Man Investigative commitee Inaugurated
In the wake of allegations of financial misdeeds by Hadiza Bala-Usman, the suspended Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi inaugurated an investigation panel to look at the agency’s books.
Mr. Auwalu Suleiman, Director of Maritime Services, chairs the 11-member commission, which is co-chaired by Mr. Ben Omogo, Director, Organization Design & Development (OHCSF).
The terms and references of the committee include: “Examine and investigate the administrative policies and strategies adopted by the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority and confirm compliance with extant laws and rules from 2016 — date.
“Examine and investigate issues leading to the termination of pilotage and other contracts of Nigerian Ports Authority and confirm compliance with the terms of the respective contracts, court rulings and Presidential directives.
“Examine and investigate compliance with the communication channel as obtained in the Public Service.
“Examine and investigate the procurement of contracts from 2016 to date. Come up with suggestions and advice that would strengthen the operations of Nigerian Ports Authority and forestall such occurrences in future.
“And any other matter that may be necessary in the course of the assignment.”
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala Usman, was suspended as part of moves to allow independent audit of the accounts and remittance of the agency, documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES have shown.
According to details of a letter sent to President Muhammadu Buhari by Nigeria’s transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi, the yearly remittance of operating surpluses by the NPA from 2016 to 2020 was “far short of the amount due for actual remittance.”
In the letter, dated March 4, 2021, Mr Amaechi said within the stipulated years, the NPA recorded an outstanding unremitted balance of N165 billion (N165, 320, 962, 697).
Mr Amaechi thereafter suggested that the financial account of the NPA be investigated and audited.
Meanwhile, the suspended NPA boss has continoiusly denies allegations , In her letter which was dated May 5, 2021, Bala-Usman said that the said amount was presented by the Budget Office of the Federation for the years under investigation on which the Ports actual remittances were short of the projected estimate revenue. She therefore stated that the N165.32billion was the budgetary expectations from the Authority which was not the same as the actual revenue generated.
Bala-Usman said that the remittances of the audited financial statements of the Ports for the period of 2017 and 2018 provided an operating surplus of N76.782billion and N 71.480billion as opposed to the N133.084 and N88.79billion projected by the Budget Office.
She said that in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, the Operating Surplus of the Authority stands at N51.09billion and N42.51billion for 2017 and 2018 respectively adding that the said amount would culminated in the amount due the CRF in the sum of N40.87billion and N34.065billion representing 80% of the projected surpluses for the year 2017 and 2018 respectively.
The letter further stated that the remittances for the years under probe are as follows;
“The Authority consequently made a remittance of N42.415billion and N33.969billion for the years 2017 and 2018 respectively for the amount required as remittances for the period (attached herewith are the Treasury receipts).
“Based on the above, we wish to clarify the following: (1) The Authority’s Computation of its remittances for the CRF are concluded arising from numbers from the Audited Financial Statements using the template forwarded to the Authority from the Fiscal Responsibility Commission.
“That the Authority remitted the full amount due CRF for the periods of 2017 and 2018 arising from the Operating Surplus derived from the Audited Financial Statement for the period totaling N76.384billion as evidenced in attached treasury receipts.
“That the Authority has remitted a total of N82.687 billion for the period 2019 and 2020 pending the audit of the financial statement at which point the amount so computed arising from the value of the Operating Surplus in the audited financial statement will be remitted to the CRF”, the letter read.
She also requested that the Chief of Staff to the President retrieve the documents aforementioned from the Accountant General of the Federation to substantiate her claims and ascertain the Authorities remittances to the CRF.
TWASC will be bringing all the details as the comitee commence sitting. Follow us for more updates
