Ex-president of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Saturday said she was “disheartened” by the suspension of Hadiza Usman as managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Usman was suspended on May 5 after President Muhammadu Buhari approved the recommendation of the minister of transportation Rotimi Amaechi.
She is accused of financial misappropriation by failing to remit surplus revenue from the NPA to the Federal Government, an allegation she denies.
Sirleaf, who served from 2006 to 2018 as Liberia’s first female president, said in a tweet that the rule of law, fair and equal treatment should be observed during investigations.
“I am disheartened to hear about the suspension of Nigerian Ports Authority MD @hadizabalausman, who I have known to be an accomplished leader and dedicated public servant,” she tweeted.
“I urge adherence to the rule of law and fair and equal treatment as the situation evolves.”
Amaechi inaugurated an 11-member investigative panel to probe NPA over all contracts awarded since 2016 when Usman became managing director.
Mohammed Koko, NPA executive director (finance and admin), was appointed as acting managing director.
Meanwhile, Usman met her former boss Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna on Thursday for the Eid el-Fitri celebration.
She said in a tweet that “we remain resolute in the belief that the truth always triumphs.”
