See Profile: NPA'S NEW APPOINTEES

The Federal Government on Tuesday appointed Hadiza Bala-Usman as Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Ms. Bala-Usman takes over from Habib Abdullahi who was reappointed to the position in August 2015 after he was earlier removed from the post in April of the same year.

The information is contained in a statement signed by the Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Yetunde Sonaike, in Abuja, on behalf of the Minister of Trasport, Rotimi Amaechi.

Ms. Sonaike stated that others appointed were Mohammed Bello-Koko as Executive Director, Finance; Prof. Idris Abubakar, Executive Director Engineering; Dr Sekonte Davies as Executive Director, Marine Operations.

These appointments took effect from Monday 11th July 2016.

The New Managing Director, Hadiza Bala Usman was born on 2nd January, 1976 in Zaria, Kaduna State.

She holds a B.Sc. Degree in Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and a Post Graduate in Development Studies from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom in 2009.

She started her Career with Centre for Democratic Development and Research Training (CEDDERT) Zaria, a Non-Governmental Organization in June 2000 as a Research Assistant.

She worked at the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) from July 2000- August 2004 as an Enterprise Officer.

She was hired by the UNDP for the Federal capital Territory Administration (FCTA) from October 2004 to January 2008 as a Special Assistant to the Minister on Project Implementation. She worked as Director of Strategy of Good Governance Group, a Non-Governmental Organisation from 2011 to July 2015.

From July 2015, Ms Hadiza Bala Usman was appointed as Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kaduna State, a position she held until her present appointment.

While Hon Sokonte Hutton Davies, PhD was Director, Research and Planning at the Rivers PDP Secretariat and worked very closely with Uche Secondus for eight years in that capacity.

In 2007, he proceeded to the House of Representatives on the platform of the PDP when he was elected to represent the Degema/Bonny federal constituency. He was re-elected for a second term in 2011 and defected to the APC as one of the reliable followers of the Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in 2013 against the desires, wish and pressure of some even though his former principal, Secondus respected the expressed principles of this progressive politician. These were the class of diehard supporters of our leader who risked their seats being declared vacant in the crises that followed the struggle to shake off the beast that the PDP was at the time.

He was appointed Director, Finance and Administration of the General Muhammadu Buhari CHANGE 2015 Presidential Campaign by President Buhari upon nomination by CRA (the Campaign DG) and took direct responsibility for the successful management of the campaign finances in the first constitutional overthrow of an incumbent president and the longest-lasting party-in-power in Nigeria's political history.

Dr. Davies, an Economist and policy expert is a fiery devotee of God, a disciple of truth and justice and an ordained clergy at the Church of God Mission. A total Port Harcourt boy born of Tombia parents in Degema LGA, he was educated at the prestigious Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borikiri; the Rivers State University of Science and Technology and pursued his higher degrees at universities in Russia and China. Very fluent in those foreign languages, the new Director, Marine Operations at the Nigeria Ports Authority is happily married with four bright boys, two of which are twins.