Jonathan fires NIPC boss, Saratu Umar

President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked Saratu Umar, executive secretary of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council (NIPC).

Reuben Abati, presidential spokesman, confirmed the development, saying Uju Hassan-Baba has been appointed as Umar’s replacement.

Some NIPC workers had been appealing to Jonathan to dismiss Umar over allegations of “gross incompetence, high-handedness and staff intimidation”.

“We renew our call for her immediate sack as any extra day she spends in the NIPC undermines the activities of the Commission and reverses the gains of Government in its bid to diversify the economy using private capital,” a recent petition signed by Ahmad Ghondi, chairman of NIPC union, read.

The union even staged a protest that led to the paralysis of activities at the headquarters of the agency in Abuja on April 22.

During the protest, its members carried placards with inscriptions such as: ‘NIPC without management/Council’, ‘Saratu Umar must go today’, ‘Self-styled one-man management’, ‘No imprest to zonal office for eight months’.

But Umar denied the allegations, saying some directors of the agency who were indicted for misappropriating NIPC’s funds were behind the protest.

Jonathan has sacked a number of top government appointees since losing the March 28 presidential election.

Sulaiman Abba, the immediate-past inspector general of police (IGP), became the first victim.

A week after Abba was sacked, Habib Abdullahi, was relieved of his job as managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)

Similarly, Danjuma Sheni, permanent secretary in the ministry of foreign affairs, was suspended on April 28, while a permanent secretary was redeployed to replace him.

Sheni was suspended over the controversial recall of Nigeria’s high commissioner to South Africa, following attacks on foreigners in that country.

His alleged role in the controversy drew the ire of the president, as South Africa reacted negatively to the development, taunting Jonathan over the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.

Next was Sharon Kasali, executive secretary of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF).

Apart from Abba, who was said to be fired for indiscipline, no reason was given for the dismissal of all the other officials.