The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, has disputed what she described as a ‘misleading narrative’ by the BUA Group, that the issue the company had with her as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authorities (NPA) was politically-motivated.

In a statement issued yesterday, Bala Usman argued that it was both unfortunate and disingenuous that the Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, has continued to push the false storyline intended to distract the public from his company’s “well-documented” breaches of a binding concession agreement with the NPA.

She cited a recent article titled: “Two Years of President Tinubu: A Business Perspective,” where Rabiu attempted to portray BUA Group as the victim of an arbitrary government decision, describing the allegation as untrue.

“We no longer worry about arbitrary shutdowns or politically-motivated disruptions… One day, we woke up to a letter stating that the concession had been revoked… There was no warning, no issue, no conflict,” part of the article by the BUA chairman read.

However, Bala Usman described the allegation as a blatant falsehood, stressing that the BUA Group received multiple official notifications and warnings for failing to meet its contractual obligations—many of which were issued before she was appointed MD of the NPA.

“BUA Ports and Terminal Limited entered into a 20-year concession agreement for Rivers Port Terminal B on May 11, 2006, with the terminal handed over on August 10, 2006. A key requirement of this agreement was the commencement of full reconstruction of Berths 5–8 within 90 days of the handover. Ten years later, BUA had yet to commence any such rehabilitation.

“A notice of default was issued to BUA on February 11, 2016— well before I assumed office—referencing earlier letters from May 19, 2014, and February 3, 2016,” she stated.

According to her, the letter reminded the BUA group of deliberately and or refusing to commence improvement on the reconstruction of Berths 5-8 in line with the laid-down procedure in the approved development plan as contained in the executed agreement.

She stated that a second default notice was issued on August 17, 2016, under her own leadership, explaining that following the company’s continued neglect of the notices, a three-month termination notice followed on November 11, 2016.

Bala Usman explained that BUA subsequently secured a restraining order from the Federal High Court on January 18, 2018, stressing that the NPA complied and allowed BUA to continue operation without interference.

The record, the former NPA MD pointed out, clearly showed that due process was followed, adding that contrary to Rabiu’s claims, the decision to issue a termination notice was not arbitrary, but the culmination of years of documented default.

She noted that Rabiu boasted in the article that it was the then President Muhammadu Buhari, who weighed in on the matter.

Bala Usman, however, insisted that seeking presidential intervention rather than keeping to agreements violated the spirit of transparency.

“While boasting about his access to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Rabiu fails to mention that he used this access to misinform the former president, seeking political intervention to override contractual accountability and institutional due process.

“This action not only undermined the rule of law but also violated the spirit of transparency and fairness that must govern public-private partnerships,” she added.

She maintained that it was disheartening that instead of acknowledging its failings, BUA Group has chosen to resort to media blackmail, casting aspersions on public officials and institutions, insisting that no amount of name-dropping or self-victimisation can erase the clear and sustained pattern of contractual violation by the company.

“If BUA truly wishes to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s development, it must begin by being a responsible corporate citizen—one that upholds agreements, invests in infrastructure, and respects the institutions of the Federal Republic,” Bala Usman added. (THISDAY)