I’m not aware of Peterside’s sacking, says Amaechi

Coronavirus outbreak stalls Lagos-Ibadan rail project
The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday said that he was not aware of the sack of former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Dakuku Peterside, by the President.

Amaechi said that the former director-general’s tenure would expire on Tuesday, March 10, 2020, noting: “Until his tenure expires, that is when you can approach the President either to re-appoint or replace him. By law, the President has appointment authority while the minister has the recommendation authority.”

Amaechi, who spoke at an early morning show on Kakaki, stated: “As the minister of transportation, I should know. Government does not take unilateral decisions. If he (Peterside) were to be sacked, I should have been intimated of his sack but I am not aware.

“I don’t think the news is right. I feel it’s mere speculations. They should wait till next Tuesday. The President has the authority to appoint whoever he wants to appoint and if he wants to extend his tenure, he can do so.”

Asked that being the supervisory minister of the ministry, the DG was berated by the Senate for not responding to summons in person, he said: “I don’t supervise whether he attends summons or not. I do attend National Assembly summons, I will be surprised if Peterside does not respond to the summons because he was once in House of Representatives.”

Meanwhile, Amaechi yesterday disclosed that the Lagos-Ibadan rail project had the put on hold following the outbreak of the coronavirus.

He said the contractors travelled to China but their government stopped them from returning back to Nigeria.