Buhari orders power firm boss’ reinstatement

…as senate probes non-compliance

The Senate has mandated its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and
Public Petitions to investigate failure by the Niger Delta Power
Holding Company to reinstate Mrs. Maryam Danna Mohammed, as the
General Manager (Audit and Compliance) of the company, inspite of a
directive by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The probe followed a petition by the sacked General Manager,
which was presented to the Senate by Senator Baba Kaka Bashir
Garbai (Borno Central) on Thursday.

Garbai, while presenting the petition, told the Senate that the
petitioner, who was one of his constituents, was wrongly sacked
when the board of the company was dissolved in 2016.

The senator said out of the 13 general managers of the company,
only the petitioner was relieved of her appointment, despite her
service to the country in the power sector for over 24 years.

He explained that Mohammed started her service with the defunct
National Electricity Power Authority, which changed to the Power
Holding Company of Nigeria and later NDPHC.

Garbai said that the petitioner had not sought redress in any
court of law but had written to President Buhari; the Vice
President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; and now the Senate.

“Because she was not reinstated despite the president’s
directive, she is seeking the intervention of the Senate in this
matter. She is a law-abiding citizen with an unblemished and
outstanding record of service to the nation,” the lawmaker
said.

Garbai laid the petition together with copies of letters written
to Buhari, Osinbajo, and the approval for her reinstatement by the
President as conveyed in a letter by the Attorney General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

Mohammed was sacked on June 10, 2016, following the dissolution
of the executive management of the NDPHC through a letter by the
former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir
Lawal.

Out of the 13 general managers in the company, only Mohammed was
relieved of her appointment as the dissolution only affects
executive management, of which Mohammed was not a member.

In her letter to Buhari, dated June 28, 2016, she complained
about her “wrongful disengagement” and sacking without committing
any offence.

The letter read in part, “There are 12 other general managers of
the same status as me that were allowed to remain in their
positions, obviously because they are members of the company and
not members of the dissolved executive management.

This obviously makes the decision to disengage me without
committing any offense discriminatory and unfair.”

…as senate probes non-compliance

The Senate has mandated its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and
Public Petitions to investigate failure by the Niger Delta Power
Holding Company to reinstate Mrs. Maryam Danna Mohammed, as the
General Manager (Audit and Compliance) of the company, inspite of a
directive by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The probe followed a petition by the sacked General Manager,
which was presented to the Senate by Senator Baba Kaka Bashir
Garbai (Borno Central) on Thursday.

Garbai, while presenting the petition, told the Senate that the
petitioner, who was one of his constituents, was wrongly sacked
when the board of the company was dissolved in 2016.

The senator said out of the 13 general managers of the company,
only the petitioner was relieved of her appointment, despite her
service to the country in the power sector for over 24 years.

He explained that Mohammed started her service with the defunct
National Electricity Power Authority, which changed to the Power
Holding Company of Nigeria and later NDPHC.

Garbai said that the petitioner had not sought redress in any
court of law but had written to President Buhari; the Vice
President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; and now the Senate.

“Because she was not reinstated despite the president’s
directive, she is seeking the intervention of the Senate in this
matter. She is a law-abiding citizen with an unblemished and
outstanding record of service to the nation,” the lawmaker
said.

Garbai laid the petition together with copies of letters written
to Buhari, Osinbajo, and the approval for her reinstatement by the
President as conveyed in a letter by the Attorney General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

Mohammed was sacked on June 10, 2016, following the dissolution
of the executive management of the NDPHC through a letter by the
former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir
Lawal.

Out of the 13 general managers in the company, only Mohammed was
relieved of her appointment as the dissolution only affects
executive management, of which Mohammed was not a member.

In her letter to Buhari, dated June 28, 2016, she complained
about her “wrongful disengagement” and sacking without committing
any offence.

The letter read in part, “There are 12 other general managers of
the same status as me that were allowed to remain in their
positions, obviously because they are members of the company and
not members of the dissolved executive management.

This obviously makes the decision to disengage me without
committing any offense discriminatory and unfair.”