Amaechi’s Accusations Against Hadiza Usman
Former Minister of Transport and ex-Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has made strong allegations against former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Usman.
Amaechi accused Usman of spreading falsehood in her book titled ‘Stepping on Toes: My Odyssey at the Nigerian Ports Authority.’
He raised these allegations during his speech at TheNiche annual lecture held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in Lagos.
A Denial of Orchestrating Usman’s Removal
One of the key claims made by Amaechi was a denial of Usman’s assertion in her book that he played a role in her removal from her position as the NPA Managing Director.
Amaechi firmly refuted this claim, setting the stage for a significant conflict over the allegations made in the book.
Challenging Usman’s Claims
Amaechi proceeded to challenge the veracity of several of the claims made in Usman’s book.
He pointed to the fact that Usman had asserted that she was not indicted by the panel investigating her actions.
Amaechi countered this by revealing that Usman was indeed found guilty of all ten counts against her, and he even presented a memo to the President in which the President endorsed her removal from her position.
Allegations of Mismanagement and Improper Approvals
Amaechi also detailed some of the issues he claimed to have raised during the investigation, including the approval of a significant contract by Usman despite her limited approval limit, which, according to Amaechi, breached procurement regulations.
He stated that this contract was awarded without proper appropriation, and even if he had approved it, the contract was overpriced by millions of Naira.
Amaechi also mentioned that there were prominent Nigerians involved in these transactions.
The Ongoing Debate
Amaechi’s accusations have intensified the ongoing debate surrounding Hadiza Usman’s book.
He raised questions about the non-public availability of certain documents and the involvement of prominent figures in the controversies discussed in the book.
The situation has become a source of significant public interest and scrutiny.
Conclusion:
Rotimi Amaechi’s response to Hadiza Usman’s book raises concerns about allegations of misconduct and mismanagement within the Nigerian Ports Authority.
It also underscores the complex and contentious nature of the issues discussed in Usman’s book.
The public is likely to closely follow the developments and responses to these accusations.