Tension In NIMASA Over Board Secretary’s Appointment

Tension is mounting in the Nigerian Maritime safety Agency, NIMASA, over the continued engagement of the legal adviser and secretary to the agency’s board, Mr. Matthew Egbadon.

He was to have proceeded on retirement having served for more than eight years in the director’s cadre and having met other requirements for retirement from civil service.

But rather than proceed on retirement, the legal adviser allegedly persuaded the Director General, Mr Ziakede Akpobolokemi, to prevail on the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, to allow Egbadon continue in office.

Sources at NIMASA confirmed that to perfect the plan, the director general wrote a letter to the chairman of NIMASA board, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, to formally inform him of Egbadon’s predicament. He also requested for the chairman’s authorisation to engage the retiring legal adviser for two years, albeit on contract basis.

It was confirmed that the chairman gave anticipatory approval pending when the board would meet. The board never met until it was dissolved by President Goodluck Jonathan last October, and the legal adviser has remained in service since then.

Meanwhile, the action is generating tension in the system as those who believe they are qualified to be elevated are crying foul, especially as they have reportedly uncovered alleged moves by certain interests loyal to the embattled legal adviser to doctor the date on the letter.

Sources within NIMASA told our correspondent that even though the letter was dated September 13, 2011, implementation of the chairman’s anticipatory approval had begun before the management meeting held on September 24, 2011.