Again, President Mohammed Buhari has approved the appointment of a non- maritime professional as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA). She is Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman, a co-campaigner of Bring Back Our Girls(BBOG).
She replaces Mallam Habib Abdullahi, who has been sacked the second time from the position in less than four years. Habib is currently abroad again for official duties, just as he was before in the previous sack scenario.
According to a press statement from the Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Ms Yetunde Sonaike, Usman was confirmed the first female MD of NPA as three new Executive Directors for NPA have also been appointed by the President. They are: Mohammed Bello-Koko for Finance and Administration; Prof. Idris Abubakar for Engineering Services and Dr. Sekonte Davies for Marine and Operations. The appointments took effect from Monday 11th July,2016.
The new Managing Director was born on 2nd January, 1976 in Zaria, Kaduna State. She holds a B.Sc. Degree in Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria and a Post Graduate in Development Studies from University of Leeds, United Kingdom in 2009.
Hadiza Bala Usman started her career with Centre for Democratic Development Studies and Research Training(CEDDERT), Zaria, a Non-Governmental Organisation in June2000 as a Research Assistant. She worked at Bureau of Public Enterprise(BPE) from July 2000 to August 2004 as an Enterprise Officer under Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State as the then Director-General of BPE.
She was later hired by the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) from October 2004 to January 2008 as a Special Assistant to then Minister of FCT, Mallam El-Rufai, on Project Implementation.
She also worked as Director of Strategy of Good Governance Group, a Non- Governmental Organisation from 2011 to July 2015. She was the Chief of Staff to Gov. El-Rufai from July 2015 until her appointment as the MD of NPA.
Other parastatals in the maritime industry where President Buhari has appointed non- professionals are: Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA), National Inland Waterways Authority(NIWA). This development has continued to raise concerns in the industry .
