By Stephen Ubanna
For the first time in the last three years, Hajia Hadiza bAala Usman, a Human Rights activist and Managing dIrector, Nigerian Ports Authority,NPA, has approved a major redeployment of tthe Port Managers in a bid to reposition the nation’s seaports for improved service delivery along with the appointment of a new Technical Assistant ,Administration, to her office. The redeployment, according to NPA, sources was in line with next level mantra of President Muhammadu Buhari and the policy direction of the management team.
A documant made available to The Value News shows that only two Port Managers were not affected in the redeployment exercise. They are Simon Okeke and Alhassan Ismaila Abubakar, who retained their positions at Warri port, Delata state and Onne port Rivers state, respectively.
Going by the changes that was made at the Port Managers level, Hajia Aisha Ali Ibrahim, the former Lagos port Complex port Manager, LPC, who was affected as he was said to have been redeployed to the Authority Corporate headquarters at Marina, as an Aslant General Manager Operations, AGM, while Akporherhe Emmanuel, an Engineer and Port Manager , Calabar port, who was also deployed to the Authority Headquarters was made the Principal Manger, Safety.
Olotu Bolanle Funmilayo, the Port Manager Calabar Port, was said to have taken over as Port Manager of Lagos Port Complex, LPC . Umar Abubakar Garba, who is the new Port Manager TCIP, was the former Port Manager at the Rivers Port Complex. Yinusa Ibrahim Anji, a principal Manager who has been deployed to Rivers Port to replace Garba, who was redeployed to TICP.
Note that Asien Marie Ehemeiri. replaced Mrs Olotu as the new Port Manager at Calabar Port, described as a port of low ship traffic. Past and present Management of NPA were said to have, made several efforts to encourage some shipping Companies to take their cargoes to Calabar port, but that was how far they could go. The situation was the same at Delta port Complex, Warri, Delta state.
It is not surprising why not all port Managers deployed to the two ports complex, in the Niger Delta, are particularly happy to report there as they see it as punishment because of lack of job to do.
Yunus Ibrahim Anji Principal Manager, Environment, was said to have been moved to Rivers Port as the new Manager. Anji may be lucky to be in Rivers port as Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers state has made a passionate appeal to Yemi Osibanjo, the Vice President, to prevail on the Hajia Usman led NPA, to work with the government to create the right environment for the development of the state. He further called for the dredging of the Rivers port waterway to increase economic activities at the port.
This is a piece of good news for the Rivers port officials if the Authority management could award the contract of the port
The governor who could hide his feelings described NPA as a good neighbour because of the jobs creatted in the state.
Another major redeployment was the appointment of Isah Idris Danazumi as the new Technical
The NPA
In a related development , the Ports Management Association in West and Central Africa , PMAWCA, has elected Jean Marie Koffi from the Port of Abidjan, Cote D’voire, as the new Secretary General of the Association. Koffi was said to have defeated two other contestants, Iliyasu Idrisu from the Port of Duola, Cameroon and Semie Pere from the Port of Lome, Togo. The election in which seventeen countries had voted including Nigeria was said to have been held at the just concluded 40th Council Meeting of the Association in Lome, Togo. . A lready, Hajia Usma, who spoke, through Jatto, General Manager , corporate and Strategic Communications, at the 40th meetings of the PMAWCA, at lome Togo, wassaid to have assured Koffi that NPA, will give him all the necessary support to further ”advance the work of the Group to enhance fortune of the port industry in the two sub-regions in the African Continent.
Note that the new Secretary General, going by PMAWCA, Constitution, would serve for the next four years in Lagos, the headquarters of the Association.
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