President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has backed the Secretary General of Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr. Paul Adalikwu and approved assistance thereby putting an end to his plotted investigation and summon by the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
According to a letter signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila on Friday, December 15, 2023, Tinubu disclosed that the idea of Federal Ministry of Transportation to recall Adalikwu in August is improper as MOWCA’s secretary is no longer an employee of Nigeria.
The letter also stated that he is only subjected to the rules of the organisation he works for until his tenure expires.
Consequently, the president described Dr. Adalikwu as a global public servant, who has ceased to be an employee of the Federal Government of Nigeria, hence should not be subjected to the Public Service Rules of Nigeria.
His words: “Dr. Adalikwu cannot be subjected to or come under the disciplinary control of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Disciplinary control and administrative processes against him can only be exercised in line with the rules of MOWCA. Neither can our public service rules apply to him while in the service of the organisation.
“He can therefore not be recalled and replaced by Nigeria unless he has committed crimes of such gravity or serious misconduct that threatens the national security of the country that sponsored him for election to the position of Secretary General of MOWCA. Thus the request for his recall and withdrawal in the circumstances described in the report is inappropriate and should be discountenanced.”
President Tinubu added: “In light of the foregoing and after due consideration, the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is hereby directed to stop forthwith any process or move to recall and withdraw Dr. Adalikwu until he concludes his tenure.”
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magadalene Ajani had earlier in August 2023 appointed the Deputy Director of Reforms Coordination at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mrs. Nneka Ogochukwy Obianyor as the new Secretary-General of MOWCA in the place of Adalikwu.
In the same vein, the replacement didn’t come to fruition owing to the fact that the procedure was not established in MOWCA’s rules.
