By Ranmilowo Ojalumo
After about 10 month has past, Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari has finally appointed Mohammed Bello-Koko as the substantive Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
The news was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday and made available to newsmen by Eric Ojiekwe, Director, Press & PR, and Federal Ministry of Transportation.
The statement read in parts: “The President and Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has approved the appointment of Mr. Mohammed Bello-Koko as the substantive Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority.
“Prior to this appointment, Mr. Koko was Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the authority. “This appointment takes immediate effect”, Ojiekwe said.
President Buhari, It would be recalled, approved the suspension of Hadiza Bala Usman, former NPA Managing Director, in May, 2021, to allow for investigation into allegations against her. The former MD was suspended over alleged failure to remit N165 billion operating surplus to the purse of the Federal Government.
She was however cleared of allegations of impropriety on Monday; a development that made many to think she may return to her seat, only for Bello-Koko’s confirmation to follow a day after the former MD was cleared of the allegations against her.
Bello-Koko has been performing the role of the Managing Director of the nation’s ports in acting capacity since the suspension of the former managing director in May, 2021.
