By Eniola Idris
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has expressed its commitment to repositioning the nation’s seaports for greater efficiency, safety and accountability.
The acting Managing Director, Mohammed Bello Koko who made this commitment at the just concluded strategic retreat organised for top management cadre of NPA, disclosed that the authority is currently poised to creating and sustaining competitive advantage by offering best in class port operations.
He said that the event was designed to strategise and craft smart actionable steps. This, he said, was with a view to ensuring growth, competitiveness and future readiness of the nation’s seaport systems, which he described as germane.
As part of efforts to position the agency towards greater efficiency, safety and accountability, Bello Koko said the management has outlined factors that would enhance such prospects as well as capacity to garner greater market share; which include infrastructural renewal and expansion, the introduction of barge operations and the automation of truck transit through the electronic call up system.
Others include improvement in the sources of revenue and collection, plugging income leakages and reducing overhead costs, elimination of monopolistic conduct, formulation and implementation of policies aimed at incentivize patronage of the Eastern Ports and encouraging competition.
The management is also keeping up with the dictates of Consolidated Revenue (Fund) and Fiscal Responsibility Act, compliance with international best practice, elimination of red tape, boosting workers’ morale and capacity building, among others.
The NPA boss also disclosed that these initiatives have laid the groundwork for some milestones with great potential for more as some of the reforms continue to transform into success evidenced by improved cargo throughput and revenue growth.
He said: “Because excellence is a moving target, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels, we must redouble our commitment to continuous improvement as an organisational culture.
“Surpassing internal and external stakeholders’ expectations, which constitute a cardinal objective of this management, will require your unalloyed support as heads of directorates, divisions, locations, departments, Port sections and units,” he said.
