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Former Director General of the Nigerian Ports Authority Hadiza Bala Usman has given the reasons why she refused to give a birthday present to her director, Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi.
This action, she before fixedwas one of the reasons he removed it.
Speaking at the launch of his book titled ‘Stepping on Toes—my odyssey at the Nigerian Ports Authority’ on Saturday, he explained that the notion is a “bad workplace culture” in both public and private organisations.
She explained, “Referring to the issue of the birthday present, the editors advised me to remove it. Why I insisted on putting it up is because it wasn’t like a side conversation that I was having. People came to him to plead on my behalf why are you doing this to Hadithah? It’s like you want to destroy it. He then replied to say that she hasn’t done anything for me.
“There’s a culture that we’ve infused into public service when it’s the MD or the CEO, they all make such a big card and this gigantic cake comes out. It’s become like a culture that if you don’t come and celebrate your boss, you’re that bad person and you’re not loyal.
“Unconsciously, people in public office start to have a right to that and they think that it is correct to buy a birthday present. Meanwhile, I’m not your friend. Why should I buy you a birthday present? This is something we’ve run into: bad work culture over the years.”
According to her, she feels that the Minister perceived it as wrong because of “culture” and from “an honest and innocent perspective that he has been groomed over the years to think that it is okay.”
Responding to reports that the Minister would be writing a book about her, she said: “I am happy and looking forward to your book. She has an interesting career. She has been a Speaker for 8 years and Governor for 8 years, DG presidential campaign twice, presidential hopeful. So he has a lot to share with all of us and it will be a very interesting read because we will learn critical things.
“The Nigerian Ports Authority is one of the 13 agencies of the Ministry of Transport. I don’t want to think that he will belittle her entire career and limit it to one Hadith book. There is so much that she has to share with us.”