Buhari Appoints BBOG Campaigner, Usman, As NPA MD

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 11^th July,2016.

The new  Managing Director was born on  2^nd 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 .