Headlines

Ameachi drags Hadiza to President Buhari over NPA’s unremitted N165.320billion —-the memo which nailed NPA Chief

Eyewitnessnews Reporter

Fresh facts have emerged over the immediate reasons for the sack of Hadiza Bala Usman, the erstwhile Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA).

Our Correspondent stumbled on a memo that may have sealed the fate of the Kaduna state-born female activist.

In the memo, personally written and signed by Rotimi Ameachi, the Minister of Transportation, the Minister complained of the inability of the NPA’s management to account for the unremitted amount of N165.320 billion between 2016 to 2020.

In the memo, dated March 4th, 2021, and addressed to President Mohammadu Buhari, Ameachi accused the Hadiza- led management team of prolificacy.

In the memo, titled ”Remittance of Operating Surplus to the Consolidated Revenue Fund Account ( CRF) by the Nigerian Ports Authority from 2016- Date” the Minister said he has observed from the records submitted by the Budget office of the Federation that the yearly remittances of the operating surplus of the NPA within the period under review have been far short of the amount due for actual remittance.

The Minister, in the memo, therefore sought the approval of Mr President to institute an audit of the accounts and remittances of the NPA within the years under review.

The memo reads ” It has been observed from the records submitted by the Budget office of the Federation that the yearly remittances of operating surpluses by the Nigerian Ports Authority from the year 2016 to 2020 have been far short of the amount due for actual remittance( see the table attached).

” In view of the above, I wish to suggest that the financial account of the activities of Nigerian Ports Authority be investigated for the period 2016 to 2021 to ascertain the true financial position and the outstanding unremitted balance of One Hundred and Sixty-five billion, three hundred and twenty million, nine Hundred and Sixty-two thousand, six hundred and ninety-seven naira only ( N165, 320, 962, 699);

“Prayer: Approve that the account and remittance of NPA in the period of 2016- 2020 be audited to account for the gross shortfall of remitted public funds” the minister concluded.

The President granted the prayers of the Minister on March 17th,2021.

Already, in the sack notice that was couched in soft landing language of ‘suspension’, the Minister has announced the formation of the panel of inquiry that will make an inquest into the financial activities of the NPA while Hadiza has been asked to step aside.

The panel is headed by the Director of maritime services in the Ministry of Transportation.

The Minister, who was said to have been away to Jos on an official assignment when the news of Hadiza’ s ‘suspension’ filtered in late Thursday, is expected to announce the remaining members of the probe panel who are expected to hit the ground running thereafter.

Mohammed Koko, the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, has been asked to take over.

Headlines

IGP grieves over assault on policewoman

Prof. Zainab Duke Abiola

— orders prosecution of culprits

Owolola Adebola

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has strongly condemned the grievous assault of a female Police Officer, Inspector Teju Moses, by her principal who is a Legal practitioner and human rights activist, Prof. Zainab Duke Abiola and her domestic staff comprising the housemaid, one Rebecca Enechido and a male suspect currently at large.

Zainab Duke, a Mbaise-born activist, grievously assaulted her orderly in the company of some accomplices on Tuesday 20th September 2022 at her residence in Garki, Abuja, due to the refusal of the orderly to breach professional ethics by carrying out menial and domestic chores at her house.

The IGP also directed the express prosecution of the arrested suspects who are currently in Police custody, as the preliminary investigation shows overwhelming evidence of culpability on the part of the Professor and her domestic staff.

The IGP has equally tasked the investigative team to ensure that the fleeing suspect is arrested and made to face the wrath of the law.

It is pertinent to clarify that the suspect, Prof. Zainab, who name-drops the IGP, his family members, and other officers in the top hierarchy of the Force has no acquaintance with the Police in any form as erroneously peddled on social media.

The Inspector-General of Police who similarly ordered the withdrawal of all Police personnel attached to the Professor expressed consternation at the fact that an individual who claims to be an advocate for Human Rights could stoop so low as to violate the rights of another individual, a police officer tasked with ensuring her protection.

Customs

Customs collects N1.7trn revenue in 8 months

CGC, Ali

–embarks on aggressive revenue hunts to meet target

The Eyewitness reporter

The Nigeria Customs Service has collected a whooping sum of N1,755,386,486,390.02 as revenue in the first eight months of the year spanning January and August.

The service made the highest monthly earnings of N241,903,781,854.46 in August as the service intensifies its aggressive revenue drive to meet the expectations of the Federal Government which has come to rely on the revenue from the service to fund its critical project.

This follows the diversification of government to non-oil sectors and expands its tax base due to the dwindling revenue from the oil sector.

The revenue in the first eight months of 2022 is N363,436,321,614.95 higher than N1,391,950,164,775.97 the customs collected in the corresponding period of 2021.

Abuja has increased its focus on non-oil revenue sources, prompting higher expectations from revenue collection agencies such as the NCS, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), among others.

Headlines

Jamoh wears OFR diadem as Buhari confers national honour on NIMASA DG

The Eyewitness reporter

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, has expressed deep appreciation to President Mohammed Buhari for being conferred with one of the highest national honours in Nigeria, Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).

The Office of the Honourable Minister, Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, has conveyed this good news to Dr Jamoh in a letter of Award which has slated the investiture ceremony for the International Conference Center (ICC), Abuja on Monday, 10th October 2022.

Recall that Dr. Jamoh had served the Nigerian maritime sector as an administrator for over 30 years when he was appointed by President Buhari as the NIMASA DG in March 2020.

Since that time, he has overseen the successful deployment of the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure otherwise known as the Deep Blue Project which has played a major role in achieving a reduction of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea to its barest minimum since 1994 and culminating in Nigeria being removed from the infamous piracy red list by the International Maritime Bureau, IMB.

A hallmark of his tenure at the helm of NIMASA has been his institutionalization of collaboration among stakeholders, within and outside the country, to achieve significant milestones in the sector.

One notable example of this is his initiation of the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum/ Shared Awareness and De-confliction (GOG-MCF/SHADE), which has demonstrated the positive outcomes of information sharing among regional and non-regional military forces in achieving a secure maritime space.

Reacting to the news on his social media handle, Dr Jamoh expressed gratitude for being considered for the honour stating:

“Words cannot express how humbled I feel to be so considered for the National Honour as an Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR).

“When I began my maritime journey 30 years ago, little did I know that Almighty Allah would so favour me to rise to the position of NIMASA DG, let alone to be considered for one of the highest honours in the land”.

Dr Jamoh especially thanked His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the Standing Committee on National Honours Award for deeming him worthy of the honour while also appreciating everyone who had supported him throughout his tenure as NIMASA Director General, especially the maritime stakeholders.