By Godfrey Bivbere
Controversy has continued to trail the recent retirement after the attainment of the required years of service in accordance with the civil service rules and reappointment of the Legal Adviser and Secretary of the Board of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Matthew Egbadon, even before he the time of retirement.

Vanguard gathered that instead of allowing the Legal Adviser and Secretary of the Board to proceed on retirement, Director General of the Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi, had written to the Board Chairman,  Alhaji Ahmed Adamu Mu’azu , informing him of the impending retirement and requesting that Ebgadon be re-engaged for two years on contract basis.

The above has resulted to internal rift amongst some senior staff on the agency who are of the opinion that there are other capable hands within the agency to handle the duties of the office and if there is none, one could be gotten from outside the agency.

On the alternative, they noted that the Director General should have allowed the legal adviser to proceed on his retirement and then recall him should there be no one qualified enough to replace him.

Apart from the above reasons, there are also insinuations that the NIMASA management did not follow the civil service procedure in the reappointment of the legal adviser.

A NIMASA source told Vanguard that the letter written by the agency’s boss to the Chairman of the board on behave of the management seeking the reappointment of Matthew Egbadon on contract basis, was actually given an anticipatory approval until the board eventually meets.

Although the board was yet to meet as at September when the letter (a copy which is with Vanguard) was written and in fact did not meet before government dissolved the board of all federal parastatals in October, the agency’s management has commenced the implementation even before any rectification.

To justify the above action, there were attempts to alter the dates to make it look as if the decision was made by the management. Implementation of the recommendation had commenced even before the management meeting that was held on the 24th of September according to the said letter dated 13th September, 2011.

In the letter, the Chairman’s comment was “Anticipatory approval is granted for one year duration. Please ensure that civil service regulations are met. My approval should be brought up to the next regular board meeting for rectification.”

Commenting on the above, the NIMASA  DG wrote, “Approved as recommended. Implement as from the 5th of September, 2011. This will subsist until the Board meets to take final decision on the terms of engagement as the Agency’s Secretary to the Board/Legal Adviser.”

However, one of the Executive Directors commented on the letter as follows, “Furtherance to our Executive Management meeting today 24/10/11, please implement Chairman’s anticipatory approval with the following (i) Points raised above. (ii) Appointment should be at next grade level down in accordance with public service rules. (iii) Executive management agree to waive/defer need to advertise vacancy in view Chairman’s approval.”

As at press time, there are indination that some senior staff who are alleged to be due or are supposed to be preparing for retirement are stated that they would not go when the time comes as a result of the action of the management.