Dantsoho: Raising the ante in port administration, sets deliverable goals
Strategies to enhance port operation, improve revenue
During the hand over to Dr Dantsoho as the substantive Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, he vowed to reposition the Authority and ensure increased productivity and greater efficiency for improved revenue.
He noted that his administration would rise to the competition from neighbouring countries.
According to Dantsoho, the authority would work tirelessly to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the overall user experience in the country’s ports.
“As we embark on this journey together, I wish to seize this opportunity to state that our main goal is to reposition the agency for increased productivity and greater efficiency for improved revenue generation to the authority and country.
“We must rise to the intense competition we face from our neighbours. We must work tirelessly to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the overall user experience in our ports,” he said.
Dantsoho expressed confidence that the agency’s predetermined objectives could be achieved through collective efforts, stressing that collaboration and teamwork would be the cornerstone of his administration.
“Let me assure you that we will aim to pay closer attention to staff welfare by ensuring timely payment of emoluments, and compensations and addressing issues of training and capacity development, particularly for deserving employees who add value in their areas of deployment,” Dantsoho stated.
He, however, disclosed that the NPA would continue the digital transformation of the authority and reinforce the current efforts at deploying the Port Community System.
He further disclosed that the authority would pay attention to the logistics that surround the arrival of cargo along the port corridor.
“We would reward hard work and develop leadership for the future stability of the Nigerian Ports Authority.
“We would continue the digital transformation of the NPA and reinforce the current efforts at deploying the PCS, which we believe is key to our dream of total automation of our processes, thereby eliminating leakages and corruption,” he added.
He said that the current efforts towards infrastructural renewal and development would be enhanced.
The NPA boss said that his administration would drive port rehabilitation and modernisation and would pay attention to the logistics that surround the arrival of cargoes along the port corridor, “their receipt at the terminals and loading onboard ships must be done efficiently and cargo evacuation from our ports, deep sea ports development, to unlock the full potential of the Nigerian economy”.
“In this regard, we will begin engagement with terminal operators and shipping lines as primary recipients of our services to feel their pulse and, thereafter, other stakeholders to seek greater cooperation and collaboration,” the NPA boss averred.
Dantsoho hits the ground running
In his determination to turn things around and make a significant impact at the nation’s ports, Dr. Dantsoho, quickly announce the appointment of his crack team comprising of seven new port managers in the country.
The new Port Managers are Adebowale Lawal Ibrahim (Lagos Port Complex, Apapa); Abubakar Sani Isa (Tin Can Island Port Complex); Abdulrahman Hussaini (Onne Port); and Sa’adu Dahiru Mohammed (Delta Port). Others are Emmanuel Anda (Lekki Port); Kenneth Edith Okezie (Rivers Port); and Ekine Ibifri Alex (Calabar Port).
While announcing their appointment, he said his priority as the NPA MD was to ensure efficient and smooth operations at the ports as well as improved earnings. He said the Port Managers would drive the vision of the Authority to provide a safe, secure, and customer-friendly environment for port operations. They will also manage day-to-day port operations by delivering port services necessary for ship reception and departures while serving as a link between the Authority and shipping communities.
The Port Managers have also been charged with other responsibilities. They are expected to supervise the operations of Terminal Operators in line with the Standard Operating Procedures as contained in the Lease Agreement with the Nigerian Ports Authority. They will also administer the operations of the Export Processing Terminals (EPT) to actualize the overriding objectives of the renewed export orientation of the Federal Government.
They are to coordinate the logistics around the Port Corridor as well as interface with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to ensure seamless entry and exit of exports, imports, and empty containers from the ports. The Port Managers were also tasked to motivate employees to work effectively and efficiently to actualize the Ports’ Key Performance Indicators.
Meanwhile, Dantsoho, who was Port Manager for Onne Port Complex from 2020 to 2021 where he spearheaded innovative investor-friendly initiatives, which were responsible for the year-on-year growth that has been recorded at Onne Port Complex, has said that the NPA would provide the support necessary to fast-track the automation of truck traffic for Onne before the end of this quarter.
Dr. Dantsoho gave the assurance when the Executive Team of Callup Technology Services Limited and Forge Concepts Limited, the operators of the electronic solution, paid a pre-implementation visit to the NPA Headquarters in Lagos. The NPA boss, who revealed his plans to implement the Electronic Callup System at the Onne Port Complex at the meeting, said the Federal Executive Council had already given the NPA the approval to embark on the project.
He said, “In line with the directive of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, we are poised to provide the support necessary to fast-track the automation of truck traffic for Onne before the end of this quarter.
Meanwhile, while the Port Managers were settling down to their duty, Dr Dantsoho announced the appointment of new General Managers and reappointment others to strategic positions for optimal performance.
Dr (Mrs) Chinwe Nwokolo, Pharmacist Hadiza Sani and Mr. Babatunde Gbotolorun were retained as General Managers Medical, Abuja Liasion and ICT Divisions respectively.
The new appointees who are to head various Divisions include Captain Jerome Angyunwe, Engr. Richard Unde, Engr. Mukhtar Isa, Mr. Anthony Edosomswan, Mr. Dapo Adekunle, Mr. Victor Gofwan, Mr. Rabiu Dambatta, and Mrs Priscilla Maduka.
Others are Mrs Sarah Ballah, Mrs Zainab Dantiye, Engr. Anas Suleiman, Mr. Adeayo Oni, Mr. Abdulkadir Gusau Mr. RAB Salau, Barr. Nurrudeen Abdulkadir, Mr. Seyi Iyawe, Barr. Ethel Uduehi, Barr. Nansel Zhimwan, Barr. Ahmad Wanka, Mr. Fatai Oladapo, Mr. Ibrahim Lukman, Engr. Abdul Isah, Mr. Charles Okaga and Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara who assumes the role of the Authority’s spokesperson as General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications Division.
New face of Corporate & Strategic Communication of NPA
One of the strategic appointments the MD is believed to have made is the appointment of Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara as GM Corporate and Strategic Communication.
Survey conducted by Advocacy Times among stakeholders revealed that given the current challenges, the newly appointed new General Manager Corporate and Strategic Communication of NPA, will lead a purpose-driven team.
He brings a wealth of experience in marketing and public relations. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in the same field.
Onyemekara’s career with the NPA began in 1992 as a marketing officer, where he gained significant expertise in the maritime industry. His interpersonal skills and ability to interact with key stakeholders soon saw him transition into strategic roles within the commercial department.
Recognizing his people management abilities, NPA management redeployed Onyemekara to the Public Affairs Division, where his strong performance and results-driven approach led to his appointment as Technical Assistant Protocol.
In this role, he coordinated media relations, diplomatic engagements, and government relations for several Managing Directors of the NPA, further solidifying his reputation as an invaluable asset to the organisation.
Onyemekara has also represented the NPA at international fora, including the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), where he participated in working groups such as the Editorial and Technical (E&T) Group for the IMSBC Code.
He has also attended numerous national and international capacity-building workshops sponsored by the Authority. An avid reader and traveler, Onyemekara is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and actively participates in alumni activities for the Federal Government College Kaduna.
Prior to his current appointment, he served as Assistant General Manager, Corporate & Strategic Communications and Technical Assistant Protocol to the Managing Director.
Attracting more cargo traffic to Delta Ports
Dantsoho led Management has maintained a steady level of business at the Delta Port with the recent renovation of the Control Tower and improvement in security coverage.
Sa’adu Dahiru Mohammed, Port Manager, Delta Port, hailed the management of the Authority for the procurement of tug boats.
He also emphasized the role in ensuring operational safety and attracting increased patronage.
“The increased business assurance is an attraction for guaranteed increased patronage,” he said.
Also speaking on the effort of the management to ensure rapid economic growth in the Port, the General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communication of NPA, Ikechukwu Onyemekara, said the strategic initiatives introduced by the Managing Director, Abubakar Dantsoho, included infrastructure developments such as dredging, construction of new berths, and the implementation of digital technologies.
Onyemekara said the renewed efforts are targeted at accommodating the increasing trade volumes and enhancing overall efficiency, which he said will position Delta Port as a critical hub for maritime activities in Nigeria.
The views of terminal operators at Delta Port, particularly Mr. Efole Cletus, the Terminal Coordinator for Associated Maritime Services Ltd (AMS) were most fascinating, as he shed light on the current state of operations, recent improvements, and future aspirations for Terminal A.
Since the beginning of 2024, AMS has experienced a notably improved business environment.
According to Cletus, “The business environment has been friendly and better than the previous year, especially after sweeping the berth from 5.6 to 8 meters.”
Speaking further, he said dredging effort has significantly enhanced operations as well as increased the tonnage of bulk wheat inflow per vessel.
Detailing the terminal’s activities, Mr. Cletus noted that cargo clearance is efficiently handled via direct delivery to a silo using a conveyor belt system.
The terminal has consistently received a volume of 15,000 metric tons of cargo per month since January. Vessel berth time at Terminal A is typically a maximum of five days, depending on weather conditions, and the charges are aligned with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
The recent rehabilitation of access roads has had a positive impact, but Cletus emphasized that more still needs to be done to improve road traffic.
He highlighted that further enhancements, especially the introduction of 24-hour pilotage by NPA, could significantly improve cargo evacuation in 2024.
Safety and security are paramount at AMS, with the terminal operating under stringent International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) measures. These include a robust guard force, CCTV cameras, intensive lighting, and electronic gates, ensuring a secure environment for operations.
“We have safe and secured terminal operations at all times,” Cletus said.