Hadiza Bala Usman, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, has addressed the recent allegations made by Rotimi Amaechi, the former Minister of Transportation, regarding her new book, “Stepping on Toes: My Odyssey at the Nigerian Ports Authority.” In her response, Bala Usman has raised concerns about the accuracy of Amaechi’s claims and questioned the transparency of the panel report used in his allegations.
Bala Usman asserted that Amaechi’s accusations were exaggerated and misleading, and she maintained that her book did not omit any pertinent information regarding her tenure as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). She specifically denied the alleged contract award worth N2.8 billion, asserting that it was not among the infractions against her.
One of the primary points of contention raised by Bala Usman is the accessibility of the panel report on her indictment. She questioned why Amaechi appears to be the sole individual with access to this report, emphasizing that it is an official document that should be in government custody rather than treated as a personal document.
Furthermore, Bala Usman criticized Amaechi’s assertion that he is safeguarding the interests of prominent Nigerians by keeping the panel report confidential. She labeled this claim as “self-serving and condescending.”
