TWISTS IN PLOT TO REMOVE OMATSEYE AS NIMASA DG

• Minister, Board Chairman Can’t Convince Presidency
• Omatseye Resumes, Sits Tight As DG

Even as intrigues and high- level lobbying persists all through last week for the soul of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), there are strong indications that the embattled director general, Mr Temi Omatseye may have escaped all the onslaughts against him.
The Director General was recently questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of financial impropriety and contract splitting to the tune of about N2.4Billion and an unspecified amount in foreign currency.
But contrary to earlier speculations that the EFCC came to NIMASA based on a direct petition to it by the agency’s board chairman, Senator Baba Tela, our correspondent confirmed last week that he(Tela) indeed ‘reported’ Omatseye to the minister of transport, Alhaji  Yusuf Suleiman who in-turn ordered a forensic audit of NIMASA. It was the report of the controversial audit that led the EFFC operatives into moving in.
However, insider sources told Shipping Position Weekly last week that the plan to remove Omatseye may have hit the rocks as the presidency is reportedly not favourably disposed to the plan. In fact, we confirmed that the minister has not been able to see the President Dr Goodluck Jonathan to broach the idea to him.   “He may have seen the President on other issues, but not on the Omatseye and NIMASA case, you know he can not on his own remove the chief executive of any agency, the President must approve it”, a source stated last week.
It was however learnt that the minister has been able to see some presidency officials whom he has not been able to convince as to the justification for the Director General’s removal. The excuse that Omatseye had to be removed because of the EFFC visitation was reportedly shot down by presidential aides.
“He was told that another justification should be raised since all of them (board and executive management) are being investigated by the EFCC”. They have not been able to convince anyone, the fact that EFCC is also after the executive director whom they are propping up to replace Omatseye weakens their argument”, one source said.
Our correspondent also confirmed that the presidency was suspicious of the motive of the minister and the board chairman, especially since at least four petitions from sources that have been traced to them had allegedly been received previously at the Aso Rock villa.
A source in the ministry of transport also confirmed to our correspondent that it has been difficult for the minister to carry his recommendation that the Director General should be relieved of his appointment to President Goodluck Jonathan.
“What they have succeeded in doing is to keep the place (NIMASA) in comatose, they can not move forward with this, you know that the board chairman is also being accused of granting approvals ( in excess of the board’s  approval limit) for contracts on behalf of the board for the DG to implement”, the source stressed further.
Shipping Position Weekly also learnt that the letter of invitation that was written by the EFCC to the DG and two of his directors was never routed through the ministry as is statutory, whereas the one in which the executive  that was touted as Omatseye’s successor  was actually directed to the Director General.
The Federal Ministry of Transport had some months ago commissioned a firm of Chartered Accountants; Akin Omorodion and Company to carry out a forensic audit of all transactions and financial dealings of all the agencies under the ministry, but sources put holes in the exercise, saying that it was aimed at only one person and one agency.
Messrs Akin Omorodion and Co was saddled with the responsibility of carrying out an in-depth investigation into all contracts awarded by NIMASA and ascertaining if such contracts were awarded by NIMASA in strict compliance with government rules and regulations. It was also requested to investigate the economic use of government funds in the day-to-day operations in NIMASA and report on wastage of public funds, and also identify culprits and apportion blame as applicable.