President Goodluck Jonathan has relieved the embattled executive secretary/chief executive of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Saratu Altine Umar, of her appointment.
Her sack which was announced in a statement by presidential spokesman, Rueben Abati, is with immediate effect.
This may not be unconnected with the recent NIPC workers’ strike to press home a demand for her removal.
The NIPC staff union accused her of incompetence and high-handedness.
Angry workers of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission had on Tuesday shut down official business in protest of the continued stay in office of Saratu Umar.
The workers who demanded Umar’s immediate sack from the investment promotion agency, accused her of “gross incompetence, high handedness and staff intimidation”, particularly her alleged insensitivity to staff welfare and improved working conditions.
Other allegations against the executive secretary included alleged mismanagement of the agency and her divide and rule policy, by selectively attending to her loyalists, while denying others, including senior management staff their entitlements.
The NIPC staff union had also last week said in a statement issued in Abuja and signed by its chairman, Ahmad Isah Ghondi: “Our findings have indicated that the executive secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Ms. Saratu Umar, has violated so many provisions of the Act in awarding contract to her cronies and has been running the commission as a private entity.
“The executive secretary since her assumption of office a year ago has never advertised for bids as a pre-requisite for all contracts which is in violation of section 19(a) and section 16(1) of the Public Procurement Act.
“She has currently hand-picked and engaged the services of five consultants which was not advertised for public bidding. In contravention of section 21 of the Public Procurement Act, she has refused to constitute a Procurement Planning Committee.
“The NIPC boss has failed in her one year administration of the commission to obtain ‘No objection’ certificates which are normally issued prior to award of contracts and payments. This is in contravention of section 16 (1) and (4) of the Public Procurement Act. In her determined efforts to thrive in illegality, Ms. Saratu Umar has put together an illegal tenders board which comprised of only two directors and other subordinate staff and completely sidelined other directors who are still staff of the commission. This illegal tenders board recently approved a contract of N35 million for refurnishing of her office.
“The engagement of consultancies and contracts that are valued at millions of naira are done without any legal documentation, contract or agreements. It is worthy of note that under section 20(2) of the Public Procurement Act, the chief executive officer is to be held liable in person for the breach and contravention of this Act, whether or not such breach was carried out by her or her subordinates.”
Following her immediate dismissal from office, the president has approved the appointment of Uju Aisha Hassan-Baba as the new executive secretary/chief executive of NIPC.
The appointment is with immediate effect.
The new executive secretary/chief executive had served previously as director-general, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria; attorney-general and commissioner of justice in Anambra State and director, legal services, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
“President Jonathan thanks the out-going executive secretary/chief executive for her services and wishes her well in her future endeavours”, Abati said in the statement.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
