Lagos – Ms Hadiza Bala-Usman, the new Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has called on port operators to provide world-class services to improve revenue collection at the seaports.
Bala-Usman made the call in Lagos on Tuesday while receiving the hand-over notes from the outgoing Managing Director, Alhaji Habib Abdullahi.
She said anything less than world class services would be unacceptable.
“As you all know, the country expects much from all of us.
“Our ports are the critical artery of the economy and it is our duty to ensure that the operators deliver port services at the standard that our businesses deserve in the 21st century.
“While supporting the present administration’s agenda of economic diversity, we would strive for enhanced operating efficiencies to facilitate improve revenue generation.
“We will listen to our customers, importers, exporters and other agencies working in the ports to improve on our service delivery to the nation.
“Anything less than the world class service is simply not acceptable.
“Attaining such height is a mission to which we can all subscribe to.
“As a team leader, I have come to add my best efforts to yours so that we can collectively achieve result for our industry.
“ We must work as a team pursuing common goals with professionalism and diligence.
“We shall prioritise investments in primary equipment and infrastructure and services committed by NPA in the concession agreement to hasten clearance of imports and exports from the ports.
“I believe that with commitment and diligence, our hardwork can position the NPA as a modern agency.
“To function as regulator, all of us at NPA must be committed to the highest standard of performance
“ Let us uphold the most diligent work ethics in our individual beats as well as our collective undertaking required to achieve result.
“Everyone at the NPA has a role in promoting best practices in upholding good governance, standards and delivering quality services.
“We would jointly work hard with integrity and zero-tolerance for corruption, “ she said.
Bala-Usman also urged NPA staffers to give their best to enable the authority to achieve its mandate.
The outgoing managing director urged the new management to assist the present government in its drive towards economic diversification.
He said the new management should give agricultural exports more attention in the discharge of its mandate.
Abdullahi further advised the new management to partner the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and other relevant ministries to generate more revenue from the non-oil sector.
“Nigeria must grow its only own sector in which agriculture exports in order to survive.
“What I am trying to say here is that we should try not only to rely on imports but see how we can exploit the possibility of exports.
“In this regard, we have written letters to the ministry of agriculture and the ministry of solid minerals because there are quite a number of things, solid minerals that were being exported outside the country.
“We believe that this should be an area at least to generate more revenue.
“ Over 80 per cent of the containers that leave this country, leave empty.
“I think you can take the advantage, look at it and see how you can partner with Export Promotion Council and the relevant ministries to make sure that these containers do not go out of the country empty.
“We may not have achieved what people expected us to achieve but I would say I am very proud with the modest achievement that we have made, I will say we make things better than how we found it.
“I believe that with these new set of management, I am sure they will come up with fresh ideas that will make the industry better and faster,’’ Abdullahi said.
He advised the new management to take dredging of Nigerian coastal channels more serious, adding that it would enable bigger vessels to come into Nigerian ports.
In his own contribution, the new Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Dr Davis Sokonte, expressed willingness to work effectively in line with the mission of the new leadership.
He appealed to the media to balance their stories on the activities of the management at all times
“We are here for service to this nation. This is the gateway to the national economy and we are assuring you that we are going to be very good gate keepers.
“The Managing Director as far as I know her , you must have heard of her achievements when she was in the Federal CapitalTerritory (FCT).
“So, we are assured that we have somebody, who knows what is the challenge, who knows what to do in the new environment.
“We are certain that by the grace of God, we are going to achieve the result.
“We are expecting all of you to cooperate with us.
Change can be difficult but when change is properly handled, which I believe this team will do, is going to be very pleasurable.
“We expect solidarity from you and we believe that with our solidarity and your own solidarity, we shall move the nation forward.
“We know that the press has a lot to do whether to sustain us or to breakdown.
“We believe whatever you want, before you write, try to get our own side of the story.
“Do not run to town without getting our own side of the story because you want to meet the deadline.
“The deadline is that the story is correct not for us to begin to run through and approach the fire brigade system. (NAN)
