Buhari Suspends Hadiza As MD, NPA, Approves Panel of Inquiry To Probe Her Tenure

BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday approved the suspension of Hadiza Bala-Usman as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

The President also approved the recommendation of the Federal Ministry of Transportation for the setting up of an Administrative Panel of Inquiry to investigate the Management of the NPA.

This was contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, who also said the President has equally approved that Mr Mohammed Koko will act as the Managing Director of the Authority while investigation is being carried out on NPA’s activities under the suspended boss.

The panel of inquiry is to be headed by the Director, Maritime Services of the Federal Ministry of Transportation while the Deputy Director, Legal of the ministry will serve as Secretary.

The statement further said other members of the panel will be appointed by the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi.

Hadiza Bala Usman was first appointed as the Managing Director of the NPA in 2016 and reappointed in January 2021 for another term of five years.

The suspended MD of NPA was one of the co-founders of the “Bring Back Our Girls Campaign Movement and also a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Before her appointment as the NPA Chief Executive, Hadiza was the Chief of Staff to Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2016.