By Kenneth Jukpor
When President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman as the first female Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) not many Nigerians expected her to succeed at the job of manning the gateway to the nation’s economy, nevertheless she has continued to prove her doubters wrong with significant contributions in port infrastructure development and exemplary administration.
There are several angles to the impact she has made at NPA and the port sector in general, these include the work culture, cleanliness and timeliness and efficiency. At NPA headquarters, the building has been given a new look inside-out, to reflect the fresh breathe of decency, feminism and charisma at the Authority. Administratively, she restructured the Authority booting out the archaic zonal structures which made administration cumbersome at NPA. However, it is the steering infrastructural changes Hadiza has pioneered that this write-up intends to spotlight.
Few months after taking up the mantle as the helmsman at NPA, in June 2016, Hadiza commissioned the Command and Control Communication and Intelligence Centre for NPA. This facility serves as surveillance point of all activities across Nigerian seaports and an information network centre for security agencies in the ports. Plans are in top gear to make this compatible with the Navy’s Falcon Eye Surveillance System.
The Hadiza-led NPA management also acquired four new tugboats – MT Daura, MT Ubima, MT Uromi and MT Majiya- to further improve operational efficiency at harbours in the area of towing vessels and barges.
As part of efforts to create a level playing field for all operators in the port industry NPA removed the bottlenecks hindering healthy competition. One example is the declassification of port terminals as oil and gas, effectively allowing the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL) to engage in the multi-million-dollar business.
However, the agency hasn’t been so successful with the recurring infrastructure challenges in Calabar arising from the shallow draft occasioned by natural forces and lack of dredging.
In order to ensure transparency and accountability, the NPA became the first among the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to open its budget to the public with the signing of a Memorandum of understanding with BudgIT Open Budget System Platform and implementation of a Public data dissemination programme. Furthermore, it has gone ahead to publish the Tariff regime of the Authority on its website, a move that has been hailed as being transformative and accountable.
NPA also developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and established dedicated terminals to handle export aimed at diversifying the economy and improving earnings via exports. The dedicated terminals include Ikorodu Lighter Terminal for Lagos; Shoreline Logistics Terminal for Calabar Port; BUA Ports and Terminals and Port and Terminal Operators Limited (PTOL) for the Rivers Port.
Other modest strides of the Authority under Hadiza Bala-Usman have been outlined below:
NPA Commissioned 24/7 Emergency Clinic
In order to ensure effective implementation of the Executive Order concerning the ease of doing Business at Ports, NPA commissioned a 24-hour emergency clinic to cater for health concerns.
New dawn at Agura Hotels
NPA took over the ownership of Agura Hotels; Abuja after a legal judgement was given in favour of the NPA against Fasel Services Limited, Omeire Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry Limited. With the Fomer, General Manager Corporate Communications, Chief Micheal Ajayi now managing Agura Hotels, the facility has transformed from a project in rot to a money spinning investment.
NPA unveiled modern equipment to address pollution
NPA displayed commitment to maintaining sustainable ecosystem and curb the menace of oil spillage on the nation’s territorial waters as it unveiled modern pollution and environmental equipment namely Drones, Jet Skies and Booms for surveillance, monitoring and containing oil spillages. Others are Blowers, Pressure Washers, Skimmers, Power Pack Absorbers and Multiple Dispersant Sprays.
Nigeria’s first female crane operators emerge
NPA celebrated its first set of female crane operators at Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TICT), who are the only females operating in such capacity in Africa.
Nigerian ports take delivery of largest vessel EginaFPSO
The $3.3 billion EginaFPSO, the largest ever built by Total, and the first of its kind to be deployed into Africa has finally sailed into Nigeria’s territorial waters.
Ikorodu Lighter Terminal re-introduced cargo movement via barges
This marked the beginning of the utilisation of Ikorodu as the terminal has been in a state of disrepair for many years. FEC has approved a 3 billion Naira contract for the full rehabilitation of Ikorodu.
Prof Osinbajo, Bala-Usman flag-off Lekki Deep Sea Port Project
Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo officially cut the red tape signifying the official flag-off of the Lekki Deep Sea Port Project, accompanied by NPA Managing Director.
Warri Escravos Channel dredging get N13billion FEC approval
NPA revealed that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved N13billion contract for the dredging of the Warri Escravos Channel in Delta State.
NPA acquires modern firefighting equipment
NPA showed preparedness to ensure successful emergency evacuation drill at its, corporate headquarters, in Marina, Lagos with the acquisition of effective and modern firefighting equipment.
NPA MD, President Buhari tour Port of Rotterdam
As part of activities to participate in activities to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute of the ICC in 2018, NPA MD and President Buhari visited The Hague and the Port of Rotterdam.
NPA MD, Dangote, others flag-off Apapa-Oworonshoki road
NPA Managing Director Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman joined the Minister of Works, Babatunde Raji Fashola, Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, President Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Sen. Remi Tinubu for the flag-off ceremony for the reconstruction of Apapa-Oworonshoki-Ojota Expressway, Lagos.
NPA opens Lilypond Terminal to truckers
As part of efforts to address the traffic gridlock at Lagos ports, NPA yielded to the cries of port stakeholders by opening up Lilypond terminal as truck park for truckers. This singular decision has led to a bit of sanity on the port access roads as truckers head to Lilypond to obtain call-ups before going to the ports. Hence, only trucks with genuine business at the ports are allowed to ply the access routes.
NPA Transforms Warri port
NPA approves concession of Warri old port and completes Warri port channel dredging to enable bigger vessels call at the ports.
NPA, APMT begin cargo evacuation with barges
As part of efforts to find lasting solution to the Apapa gridlock, the Management of NPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with AP Moller Capital Ltd., for the evacuation of containers via barges to Ikorodu up to Epe.
NPA introduces 10% discount on all Harbour dues for vessels at Eastern Ports
In a bid to increase patronage at the Eastern Ports, NPA approved 10% discount on harbour dues in all concession terminals at the Eastern Ports. However, the operators as well as shippers have decried the abysmal nature of the discount even as they noted that the clause that only container vessels with at least 250 TEUs was a defect. This is because the draft of the channels at Eastern ports can’t take vessels of that capacity, especially at Calabar port with 5.4m draft.
NPA expands Single Window to include CRFFN
NPA agrees to Integrate the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) transaction Portal into the Authority’s Web Portal
NPA, NIMET partner to improve weather forecast in Nigeria
NPA collaborated with the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) in August this year, to provide accurate weather forecast for safe navigation. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by both agencies in this regard.
