LAGOS (Sundiata Post) – The new Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has advised the newly appointed port managers to take charge of the nation’s ports to ensure a safe and secure environment, as well as customer-friendly atmosphere for port operations.
Dr Dantsoho, who announced their appointments last Friday in Lagos assured that “they would drive the vision of the Authority to provide safe, secure and customer-friendly environment for port operations.”
The new port managers are Adebowale Lawal Ibrahim (Lagos Port Complex, Apapa); Abubakar Sani Isa (Tin Can Island Port Complex); Abdulrahman Hussaini (Onne Port) and Sa’adu Dahiru Mohammed (Delta Port). Others are Emmanuel Anda (Lekki Port); Kenneth Edith Okezie (Rivers Port) and Ekine Ibifri Alex (Calabar Port).
Dantsoho disclosed that the key role of the port managers is to serve as a link between the Authority and the shipping communities.
He said the port managers are also required to manage the day-to-day port operations by delivering port services necessary for ship reception and departures.
The NPA MD enumerated the other responsibilities of the port managers to include:
“Supervising the operations of terminal operators in line with the Standard Operating Procedures as contained in the Lease Agreement with Nigerian Ports Authority.
“Administering the operations of the Export Processing Terminals (EPT) to actualize the overriding objectives of the renewed export orientation of the Federal Government. “Coordinating the logistics around the Port corridor.
“Interfacing with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to ensure seamless entry and exit of exports, imports and empty containers from the ports and;
“Motivating employees to work effectively and efficiently to actualize the Ports Key Performance Indicators.”
Also, Dr Dantsoho assured the executive team of Callup Technology Services Limited and Forge Concepts Limited, the operators of the electronic solution, who paid him a pre-implementation visit at the NPA headquarters, Lagos that the NPA would provide the support necessary to fast track the automation of truck traffic for Onne before the end of this quarter.
Dantsoho was port manager for Onne Port Complex from 2020 to 2021, where he spearheaded innovative investor-friendly initiatives, which were responsible for the year-on-year growth that is being recorded at the Onne Port Complex.
The NPA boss who unfolded his plans to implement the Electronic Callup System at the Onne Port Complex at the meeting said that the Federal Executive Council had already given the NPA the approval to embark on the project.
He said: “In line with the directive of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, we are poised to provide the support necessary to fast track the automation of truck traffic for Onne before the end of this quarter.
“We would ensure that the operators structure their information technology deployments in a manner that seamlessly plugs into the Port Community System (PCS) and the forthcoming National Single Window (NSW) while also emphasizing sustainable use of alternative sources of energy.”
The Onne Port Complex is the largest Oil and Gas logistics base in West and Central Africa. It houses the Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT) and Federal Lighter Terminal (FLT), and has in recent times been recording unprecedented growth in vessel and cargo traffic.
