By Stephen Ubanna
Barely two months after the appointment of Abubakar Dantsoho, a political ally and former Chief of Staff to Mua’azu aji Sambo, an Engineer, and immediate past minister of Transportation, during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration by the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to replace Muhammed Bello-Koko, who was kicked out from office last July, he has moved into action.
The new Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of NPA, who was said to have been mandated by the President to deploy his expertise and excellence in the discharge of his duties ‘’ to ensure efficient port operations and improved industry outcomes’’ was said to have moved swiftly to restructure the Authority .
Many believe that he could do that because his close working relationship with Engr. Sambo, a Former minister of Transportation , which may have made him to know much about the workings of the nation’s seaports and what needed to be done to enhance its operations. It was not surprising why he has moved to appoint new port Managers at the nation’s seaports to fill the vacuum that had been created with the redeployment of immediate past port Managers to the Headquarters.
A statement by Mrs. Balla Sarah, an Assistant General Manager and the Authority spokesperson, shows that the new NPA, CEO, had appointed six new port Managers. The NPA, spokesperson, had said that Adebowale Lawal Ibrahim, was redeployed to serve as the new port Manager of Lagos port complex, Apapa. He was said to have taken over from Okaga Charles Bamidele, the immediate Port Manager of the Premier port.
Abubakar Sani Isa, who was appointed as the new Port Manager of the Tincan Island port was said to have replaced Sylvester Egene, Saiadu Dhiru, moves to take over from Teslim Bamidele Makanuola, as Delta port Complex, Warri , port Manager, while Emmanuel Anda serves as the port Manager of Lekki port in place of Aliyu Abubakar, who has been redeployed to the Headquarters at Marina, Lagos.
Ekine Ibafiri, who was said to have made the list of the new port Managers was said to have been sent to the south western state of cross river state, Calabar port , to replace Olumati Ikechi Festus . He may have allowed Mrs. Kenechi Edith Okezie, the port Manager, Rivers Port Complex, PortHarcort, to retain her position over an undisclosed reason best known to him.
Perhaps, to ensure that that the former ports who had been posted back to the agency Headquarters comply with the new without complin may have informed why they have haven directed to report to Olalekan, Badmus, Executive Director, marine and Operations for proper documentation.
Dantsoho, the NPA, helmsman had said that the directive must be fully carried out by the old port Managers with ‘’immediate effect’’. He was said to have made it clear to industry stakeholders that the redeployment of the port Managers was aimed at ‘’boosting productivity and improving service delivery in the in the agency’’ superintended by the ministry of Marine and Blue Economy under the close watch of Oyetola Adegboyeha, who incidentally was a former governor of the south western state of Osun.
Maritime analysts are optimistic that the appointment of the new port mAnagers will go a long way to facilitate the review of the 21 year-old Agreement with the Concessionaires operating at the nation’s ports. There are indications that the five yearly review which is contained in the Concession agreement, had become nightmare of a sort over the ears. Five of the Concessionaires, were said to have formally applied to the old Management of the Agency led by BelloKoko, but that was how far it could go.
Informed sources told The Value News that companies whose Concession agreements are currently in contention include ENL, which operates two terminal, ports and cargo, osephdam, one terminal and AMS, located in Warri, Delta state.Nigerian are waching to see how Dantsoho and his Management team are going to handle thee isue of the Concessionaire agreement which had emained a horning issue over the year for the port Managers.
