2018 Q4 Rating: How FAAN, NPA, MAN Oron Fared

By Kenneth Jukpor

MMS Plus presents the 2018 fourth quarter rating of transport agencies in the country based on their performance with regards to their core functions. This appraisal covers; Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA)

For the grading system: A =90-100%, B+ = 80-89%, B =70-79%, C+ =60-69%, C =50-59%, D =40-49% and E = 30-39%, F = 0-30%. Enjoy it:

Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)

FAAN is a service organization statutorily charged to manage all Commercial Airports in Nigeria and provide service to both passenger and airlines. For the purpose of this rating, FAAN’s core functions are categorized into five with each carrying 20 points.

• To develop, maintain and provide necessary airport services and facilities for safe, orderly, expeditious and economic operation of air transport.

FAAN installed new scanners at the E and D Wings of the international terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos to enhance the security screening of passengers which now takes shorter time. The agency has also ordered for modern scanners to boost security at airports in the country. Score = 10/20

•  To provide adequate conditions under which passengers and goods may be carried by air and under which aircraft may be used for other gainful purposes and prohibiting the carriage by air goods of such classes as may be prescribed.

It has been business as usual for FAAN with this function given little attention to change the abysmal status quo, except the agency’s effort to unveil an application, initiated by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, PEBEC, for service users to give feedback about the quality of services being rendered by government agencies at the nation’s airports. Score = 4/20

• To provide accommodation and other facilities for the effective handling of passengers and freight.

FAAN suspended its planned withdrawal of security and other services to Warri, Gombe, Kebbi airports and Lagos airport terminal 2, MMA2 in December and that would have led to the total shut down of these airports and terminal as a result of the operators indebtedness to the Authority

Score = 12/20

•  To carry out at the airports (either by itself, its agents or in partnership with any other person) such other commercial activities which are not relevant to air transport.

The areas that have been concessioned at the nation’s ports have raised several conflicts for FAAN and the nation’s government at large. In one of the notable conflicts, FAAN insists that Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) lied about the inclusion of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMIA), Lagos in the concession agreement the Federal Government had with the terminal operator. FAAN also accused Bi-Courtney of breaching the contractual agreement on the abandoned Four Star hotel and a conference centre opposite the terminal, saying that the agency gave the company an ample time to complete the two projects, but that they failed. Score = 5/20

•  To provide adequate facilities and personnel for effective security at all airport.

FAAN’s Managing Director admitted that Nigerian airports must have a robust access control system, stating that all airports should be fenced quickly. The agency introduced perimeter patrol; CCTV technology to help in the surveillance at the airports. Score = 10/20

Conclusion

FAAN recorded some modest achievements but there’s still so much more to achieve. However, 2019 hasn’t started on the brightest note as power outages have been observed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. The outage threw parts of the terminal into darkness but FAAN has attributed this to a minor electrical fault.

Total Score= 41/100

Grade: D (41%)

Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)

For the purpose of this study, the functions of NPA, also known as the landlord of Nigerian ports, were grouped in five major areas, with each carrying 20 points:

•         Ownership and administration of land and water within port limits/ Planning and development of port operational infrastructure

NPA dished out instructions to shipping lines stressing that they acquire and utilize holding bays for storage of their empty containers rather than abandon them on trucks clogging the port access roads. This directive has only moved the traffic gridlock to neighbouring communities as the existing holding bays have been filled while several containers have nowhere to be kept.

Score = 5/20

•         Leasing and concession of port infrastructure and setting bench mark for tariff structure

As landlord, the Authority continues to show no concern about the work environs and challenges facing port terminal operators; continuously reneging on promises made to concessionaires in aspects of dredging while it collects duties. The plight of genuine investors like the terminal operators in Calabar port have been neglected by the Authority.  Score = 5/20

•         Day to day monitoring of operations and enforcement of relevant sections of respective agreements.

Under the leadership of Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman as the Managing Director, the Authority displayed resilience in monitoring and enforcing relevant national policies like the monetary payment into the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

NPA is currently carrying out the amendment of the concession agreement with the operators and other key agencies of government to eliminate the multiple challenges in the system.  Score = 15/20

•         Responsible for Nautical/Harbour operations and Hydrographic survey/ Marine incidents and pollution

Despite public display of NPA tugboats commissioned in 2017, operators lament over the unavailability of such services when required last year. Little was done to curb pollution and issuing statistics on marine incidents. Score = 5/20

•         Maintenance of safety and security at the common user areas/ Enacting port regulations and bye-laws as well as monitor and enforce them

The Authority’s role in scrutinizing and ensuring only certified trucks and freight forwarders are allowed entry into the ports has been marred by corruption as substandard trucks possess NPA stickers after bribing while anyone could walk into the ports with or without a bribe. Score = 5/20

Conclusion:

The Authority is expected to make significant progress especially with the resilience and drive of the Managing Director, Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman. One of the highpoints of 2018 was the inaugural African Regional Conference of the International Association of  Ports and Harbours (IAPH) organized in Abuja but the conference hasn’t addressed the issue of port access road congestion.

Grade = E (35%)

Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron

In the last quarter of 2018, Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron, seems to be over as the academy showed promising signs to be returning to the glorious days when it produced some of the best seafarers for the nation.

In November, the Academy stunned industry stakeholders with the successful graduation and Passing-out Parade (POP) for cadets in 2018 for the first time in six years. A total of 613 cadets graduated from the Academy for the 2017/2018 academic session. Of that number, 36 passed with distinction, 199 bagged upper credits, 269 graduated with lower credit, and 109 had pass.

The academy which almost got Nigeria delisted from the IMO white list because of its decay and rot had its first POP in six years. Also, as part of the restructuring, the academy would admit only 248 cadets into the institution in the 2018/2019 academic session. The rector confirmed that 160 cadets would be admitted for the Higher National Diploma (HND), while 88 would go for National Diploma (ND).

According to the MAN Oron Rector, Comrade DujI Efedua maritime stakeholders would no longer be cajoled to take the Academy’s cadets onboard vessels after they graduate because the academy would be so revered that the cadets would be attractive and stakeholders will come scrambling for them during their graduation.

Conclusion

Nigeria can anticipate seeing a new ‘MAN Oron’ whose cadets would be pride of the nation, according to the promises of the Rector. Expect the Academy to build on the achievements in 2019.

Total Score 55/100