Fresh Fear Grips NIMASA, As Ministry Orders Probe Into Promotion, Employment

DG, NIMASA; Mr Ziakede Akpobolokemi

•    No, it’s not true- Spokesperson.
There is palpable fear of demotion among top echelon of the Nigerian Maritime Administration Agency (NIMASA), following a reported directive that all those who may have been promoted illegally should be appropriately ranked. The probe may also affect those who may have been employed illegally.
A senior personnel at the Federal Ministry of Transport confided in one of our correspondents last week that  the Ministry is worried about the discovery that some persons had either been employed and placed on “inappropriate levels” , while some were promoted “inappropriately”.

Although our source was not specific about the number of those who are affected and those likely to still be affected by the directive, he however hinted that the greatest casualties are from the directorate cadre.
“Some of them were brought from outside and placed above their superiors, without recourse to extant civil service rule about employment and promotions. In NIMASA, there were proven cases of abuse of procedures in employment and promotion”, he told our correspondent last week.
He also made reference to two instances of such abuses; one he said was the last recruitment exercise conducted by the agency which allegedly favoured people from a particular state and a certain ethnic group.
He also recalled the controversial ‘golden hand shake ‘, in which some deputy directors were allegedly arm-twisted to resign, to pave way for some pre-determined persons to be engaged.
He said “the golden handshake to four of the staff of the agency who were retired about four years before their due date, was indeed an arm-twisting exercise that was contorted to open up space for some younger elements from a particular zone of the country”.
Our source also added that the Federal Character Commission had at one time been brought into the cases of abuse of employment quotas which allegedly favoured a particular tribe.
“From here (ministry of transport), we already got petitions about such abuses and I can assure you that, all injustices will be addressed. If anyone is found to have been given undeserved promotion or even employment, then the right thing will be done”, he told our correspondent.
Asked why the Ministry did not do anything before now and since it got wind of the allleged abuses, he said “the disposition of the leadership of the ministry may not be towards that, but you know how these things are done”.
When contacted however, the deputy director, public relations at NIMASA, Mr Ishichie Osamgbi told our correspondent that no one has been demoted and no one has been given underserved employment by NIMASA.
According to him,”promotions for directors were done sometimes ago and it was done transparently, what we have ongoing is promotion for other cadres”. There is no such thing here at NIMASA.http://shippingposition.com.ng/article/fresh-fear-grips-nimasa-ministry-orders-probe-promotion-employment