They said although a review of the employments and promotions was necessary, the decision to probe only the tenure of the Niger Delta-born Patrick Akpobolakemi as the director general of the agency was suspicious.
The group, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, on Sunday, said the suspicion of the Niger Delta people was premised on the belief that the motive of the probe is to sack or unjustly demote some employees of NIMASA who are from the Niger Delta.
The youths claimed that the “selective probe” was a continuation of the victimisation of the people of the region by the Federal Government.
The statement said, “The attention of the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide has been drawn to a statement issued by the Head of Public Relations, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Mr. Lami Tumaka, to the effect that a committee has been set up to review all employments and promotions made in NIMASA from 2010 till date.
“The exercise is aimed at ascertaining compliance with civil service rules and federal character. It would interest the public to note that the period under review is the period that Niger Delta-born Patrick Akpobolakemi was the director general of the agency.
“For the IYC, this is an obvious attempt to continue the victimisation of the Niger Delta people in the affairs of NIMASA. There is no single reason why the Federal Ministry of Transport would single out only one agency out of the several agencies in the ministry for the review of employments and promotions.
“If the FMT is sincere and acting in good faith, why are agencies such as the Nigeria Port Authority, National Inland Waterways Authority and other agencies under the ministry left out of the purported review?
“Or could it be because these agencies were under the leadership of persons from the northern part of Nigeria? The obvious purpose this exercise is meant to achieve is to sack or unjustly demote employees of NIMASA who are of Niger Delta origin.”
No comments :
Post a Comment