The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has claimed ignorance of the reported sack of the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside.
News of Peterside sack and his replacement with the Executive Director of Administration and Finance, Bashir Jamoh went viral last night.
The first term of Peterside, an ally of Ameachi, is due end on the March 10. He was appointed in 2016.
But Ameachi speaking on a live television show this Thursday morning in Abuja, said he was not aware of the sack which as the Minister of Transportation, should know.
He said: “Maybe we need to call him (Peterside) this morning to know whether he is in the office but the government does not take an arbitrary decision.
Amaechi explained that if he were to be sacked, the Minister of Transportation would be told to formally to intimate the DG of his sack saying, “I am not aware that the President has directed me to intimate anybody of his sack.
“I am not aware. As of yesterday when I spoke to the DG of NIMASA, he was in the office and they had a board meeting and he was present at the meeting.
“I am not aware that he has been removed. I spoke to him at about 3 pm to 4 pm yesterday and I should know if he has been sacked. If I am the Minister of Transportation, I should know”.
Asked if the alleged sack has anything to do with National Assembly probe of the agency for failing to audit the agency account for the past six years, Amaechi retorted: “I am not aware of that. You said six years, he came into office in 2016, that means he has been DG for four years, you cannot be punishing him for the offense committed by past DGs.”
Speaking further, the minister said, “I don’t think the news is right, I feel it’s mere speculations, they should wait till next Tuesday. Like I said the President has the authority to appoint whoever he wants to appoint and if he wants to extend his tenure he can do so.”
