Headlines

Why I was removed as NPA MD— Hadiza Bala Usman

Hadiza Bala Usman

—–says she never stopped campaigning for Chibok girls

Eyewitness reporter

About one year after her suspension in May 2021 and subsequent removal from office as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman, has attributed her travail to the tweet she made on February 27th, 2021 about insecurity in the country.

Reacting to the spate of attacks and insinuation which greeted her current tweets on the insecurity in the country, Ms. Usman, in a statement she issued Wednesday in Lagos, said mischievous people dug up the February tweets which eventually led to her suspension.

She said that in the wake of her suspension in May last year, Nigerians dug up a February 27th, 2021, tweet from her, which reads: ‘the state of insecurity in the country that has led to the kidnap of Kagara boys Zamfara girls need to be addressed URGENTLY.

“We can’t go on like this! Rescue our children and secure our country; that’s all we ask,”

Ms Usman ascribed that tweet to the reason for her suspension.

The erstwhile NPA MD was speaking against the backdrop of viral media reports where critics sneered at her over her recent tweets on the release of Chibok girls.

In her recent tweets, Hadiza Bala Usman has condemned the spate of insecurity in the country while calling on the government to step up efforts towards the release of all captives in the kidnappers’ dens.

Critics had therefore castigated her, accusing her of not speaking up against the continued captivity of the Chibok girls and other victims of insurgency, suggesting that her removal from office inspired her recent tweets.

Ms Usman is a co-founder of the #BringBackOurGirl campaign.

However, the former NPA MD, in the statement, noted that she never stopped campaigning for the release of Chibok girls and other abducted Nigerians.

She said this fact could be verified through tweets made on her handle @hadizabalausman where she spoke about the Chibok girls, the Kangara boys, and other security issues in the country over the past four years.

Ms. Usman further said that there was never a time she stopped campaigning for the release of Chibok girls, even while she was at the NPA.

“If I posted that tweet about the country’s security situation just a few weeks after the renewal of my appointment as Managing Director of the NPA in 2021, how then can anyone accuse me of just coming to speak up now? Or is it just another targeted attack on my person, sponsored by desperate people who have tried and failed to tarnish my image in the last one year.

“Because just a mere check on my Twitter handle would have revealed the truth but they decided to proceed with promoting falsehood.”

Bala Usman noted that her conviction about the Chibok girls and every Nigerian in captivity had remained the same since the unfortunate trend started.

“It is such that my official picture at the NPA had my BBOG badge.

“I attended several meetings with the President wearing my badge.

“I spoke about the Chibok girls and other Nigerians in captivity at every opportunity I had, including with other colleagues in government and during media interviews,” she said.

She said that her conviction and insistence about the release of the captives in the dens of insurgents and kidnappers as well as her constant tweets on the insecurity in the country, even while in office as the NPA MD, was what earned her suspension.

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Group confers “continental” award on Adeniyi over customs’ phenomenal revenue record

Adeniyi, CGC

Funso OLOJO

The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, C.G.C Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, has been nominated and approved to be honoured with “The Continent Man of The Year 2024” Award by Board of Editors and Publishers of Continent magazine.

This resolution was announced by the spokesman of the group, Mr David Oladimeji, at the end of group’s meeting held on Friday, September 13th, 2024 in Abuja.

The meeting was organized by” The Continent “Magazine to deliberate on a personality and organisation deserving of the Award.

The Board’s attention was drawn to the statement made recently by former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (C.B.N) and sitting Governor of Anambra state, Prof Chukwuma Soludo,who told his constituents in Awka that the Customs and F.I.R.S have sustained the nation’s economy from collapse since February this year, when the NNPCL stopped remittance of statutory revenue to the Federation Account for onward disbursements to the three tiers of governments.

Oladimeji said “the Board noted that this is not an easy task to be achieved under the astute and dedicated leadership of C.G.C Adeniyi, considering the fact that the Customs and it’s officers have been perceived by the public as corrupt and fraudulent”

” In a bid to commend and encourage leaders of the customs and F.I.R.S as well as their lieutenants not to rest on their oars, the Board resolved to honour the C.G.C, his Command Controllers and Revenue Collectors who had made significant sacrifices and excelled in their national anti-smuggling, revenue collection assignments with “The Continent Man of The Year” and “Pillars of Nigerian Economy 2024″ Awards”

As plans are geared towards the celebration of the international and national icons at a date to be announced soon, “The Continent” special edition will publish the profile and achievements of the deserving recipients that earned them recognition and honour.

Headlines

NIMASA secures support of Bank of Industry for enhanced capacity building in maritime industry

Funso OLOJO

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has broker a partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI) to enhance its capacity building effort in the maritime industry.

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, represented by the Executive Director of Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Jibril Abba, made this disclosure during a visit by the Management of the Bank of Industry, led by Executive Director of Large Enterprises, Mrs. Ifeoma Uz’Okpala.

He stated, “In addition to safety, security, and maritime labor, the Agency’s mandate encompasses capacity development aimed at growing the sector.”

He also reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to collaboration as a vital tool for achieving its mandate.

“The aim is to actualize the vision of the Federal Government to reposition the maritime sector, especially with the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy”, he said.

On her part, the Executive Director of Large Enterprises at BOI, Mrs. Uz’Okpala, affirmed the Bank’s readiness to support NIMASA.

She also emphasized the importance of collaboration in implementing a robust capacity-building initiative that will contribute to economic growth in Nigeria.

Bank of Industry Limited is Nigeria’s oldest and largest Development Finance Institution (DFI) currently in operation.

It is owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) Nigeria (94.80%), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) (5.19%) and private shareholders (0.01%)

Headlines

NIMASA secures support of Bank of Industry for enhanced capacity building in maritime industry

Funso OLOJO

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has broker a partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI) to enhance its capacity building effort in the maritime industry.

He stated, “In addition to safety, security, and maritime labor, the Agency’s mandate encompasses capacity development aimed at growing the sector.”

He also reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to collaboration as a vital tool for achieving its mandate.

“The aim is to actualize the vision of the Federal Government to reposition the maritime sector, especially with the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy”, he said.

On her part, the Executive Director of Large Enterprises at BOI, Mrs. Uz’Okpala, affirmed the Bank’s readiness to support NIMASA.

She also emphasized the importance of collaboration in implementing a robust capacity-building initiative that will contribute to economic growth in Nigeria.

Bank of Industry Limited is Nigeria’s oldest and largest Development Finance Institution (DFI) currently in operation.

It is owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) Nigeria (94.80%), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) (5.19%) and private shareholders (0.01%).