Hadiza Bala Not Under Investigation – Amaechi

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has said the suspended Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Hadiza Bala Usman is not under investigation.

Gatekeepers News reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had on the 5th of May approved Usman’s suspension following Amaechi’s recommendation.

Amaechi thereafter inaugurated an 11-member investigative panel to probe NPA over all contracts awarded since 2016 when Usman became its MD.

Usman was accused of failing to remit the operating surplus of NPA to the consolidated revenue fund (CFR), an allegation she denied.

However, on Monday, Amaechi denied knowledge of Usman’s suspension, saying she was only asked to “step aside” pending the conclusion of the probe on NPA.

“I am not aware that I suspended Hadiza, I’m not the president. So I don’t have such power. That power rests with the president,” he in an interview with Arise TV.

“I am not aware that Hadiza was suspended. What happened, I suspect, is that she was asked to step aside to enable investigation to be carried out on NPA, not on her.

“We are investigating NPA. At the conclusion of the investigation, all the reports will be forwarded to the president who would make a determination on the way forward.”

Amaechi noted that he can’t presently ascertain when the panel will conclude its ongoing investigation on NPA.

The Minister also blamed the media for creating “too much noise” on the suspension of the NPA MD.