The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has established a regulatory framework for the operation of barges across the nation’s seaports under a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
The Acting Managing Director of NPA, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko in a statement in Lagos on Friday added that the guidelines must be complied by all operators effective Sept. 1.
The statement was signed by Mr Olaseni Alakija, General Manager, Corporate and Strategic communications of NPA.
Bello-Koko made these known while speaking during an interactive session with members of Barge Operators of Nigeria (BOAN) who paid him a working visit at the authority’s corporate headquarters.
He added that further to this development, the authority will review the modalities for the registration of barge operating license with emphasis on operators meeting the Minimum Safety Standards ((MSS) of their barges.
He pointed out that failure to meet this requirement would bar an operator from using the channel.
”Under the new set of regulations, an electronic call up system is being developed for the deployment of barge operations in which barges would remain at their anchor until they are called to pick or discharge cargo.
”This is aimed at streamlining their movements to reduce congestion and possible threat to ocean going vessels,” he said.
The NPA, he said, will capture a comprehensive profile of all barge operators, highlight the carriers’ corporate name, to make for easy identification, especially in line with efforts to check the deployment of dilapidated barges.
“This is a new era in barge operations and all operators are required to key into this regulatory provisions.
“There will be a harmonised interactive session (berthing meetings) between the barge operators and the relevant designated Port Managers for specific areas where information sharing will be prioritised accordingly.
“These meetings are envisaged to create a forum where illegal barge and jetty operators will be identified,” he said.
To create a relief for the barge operators, Bello-Koko advised all terminal operators not to demand the collection of a 20 million naira bank bond, with a promise to liaise with relevant government agencies for a downward review of prevailing charges on carriage of containers.
On communication, he also hinted that henceforth, the installation of acceptable UHF Radio communication devices as well as navigational lights on board crafts would be among the critical mandatory requirements for operators by Sept. 1 to ensure safe and secured operational services.
He solicited the collaboration of stakeholders in ensuring that best practices are strictly adhered to in this respect.
On capacity, he said management was strategising for effective partnership with barge operators in the area of training to enable them acquire more knowledge on the profession expected to impact positively on general port operations.
“To further ensure safety in navigation of barges, Tug masters are required to possess Pilot Exemption Certificate (PEC) even as night operations are abolished while double loading of barges are prohibited to prevent damage to the quayside.
“Additionally, barge operators who have been operating for close to three years without paying any tariff will now be required to make payments to the NPA, thereby generating more revenue for government,” he said.
“Operation Green”, a campaign launched by the Nigerian Ports Authority to sanitise the corridors and surrounding of the ports, has recorded a huge success, its Managing Director, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, has said.
Bello-Koko told newsmen on Sunday in Lagos that the operation became necessary when NPA discovered that people had turned everywhere into trailer parks and markets.
“Others converted every available space for their businesses. So we had to act swiftly.
“What we did was to ensure that those areas are safe. Those are restricted areas actually; the Port itself and the surrounding areas are restricted areas, so we can’t allow those illegalities to go on.
“We are mandated to ensure that the Ports and its environments are secured. That operation was very successful; a lot of weapons and large quantities of drugs were discovered which were handed over to security agencies.
“All the illegal trailers parked there have also been cleared. What we are doing is to clear the area and ensure that unless you have a permit to have a business there, you shouldn’t be there.
“The Lagos State Government has been very cooperative. They are also making sure that the right security agencies are involved, so you find trucks moving around, towing away vehicles.
“We discovered a lot of vehicles that have been parked for so many years being used as storage for weapons, drugs and the rest along the corridor. Lagos State Government is taking possession; NPA is also taking possession of any land that has been illegally occupied but belongs to the authority.
We want to ensure that miscreants and other illegal businesses do not take over those places,” he said.
Bello-Koko commended the Lagos State Government for its massive support over the years.
“Traditionally, that relationship has been there. The two ports here account for over 70 per cent of the cargo coming in and going out of the country.
“So, because of national interest and also out of necessity, we have had very good relationship with Lagos State Government.
“When I was appointed, I ensured that that collaboration continued. I have had a meeting with the governor who has been very supportive in the implementation of ETO, clearing the roads and so on.
“There are also collaborations in terms of the Lagos State Government Transport Development Plan. We have met with a department in Lagos State Government along with the French Development Authority. So, we will keep collaborating with Lagos State Government.”
He also spoke on other partnerships toward strengthening the operations of the ports and meeting the mandate of the NPA.
“We have met with French Development Authorities who are more like private investors supported by the French Government.
“They are looking for areas of collaboration to improve investment and businesses in Africa. What we are looking for is investment in Port Development by some of these agencies.
“Our core areas of collaboration include Port infrastructure, Marine equipment which we all know are very expensive.
“We are also looking at the sharing of capacity development with some of the partners.
“The Minister for Transportation has also been working with NPA to ensure the renewal of ports here.
“Some of the ports here are getting to their end of life; some are over 80 years, so they need reconstruction which will run into hundreds of millions of dollars.
“So, there are discussions between NPA, the terminal operators and some of these development partners on how this can be structured with the right financial model.
“May be, I should also remind you that all the ports operating here are operating far beyond their built capacity. The size of these ports are not going to increase, we can only improve their capacity and that is what we are trying to do.
“The cities have caught up with the ports, so expansion at this point is impossible. The best we can do is to improve on the existing facilities,” he said.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says 24 ships are presently discharging different items at the Lagos ports.
The items according to NPA are bulk wheat, general cargo, container, bulk salt, base oil, soya, soda ash, petrol and butane gas.
Others are automobile gasoline and jet fuel.
It said it was expecting 21 other ships laden with petroleum products, food items and other goods between July 29 and Aug. 5.
The NPA made these known in its publication “Shipping Position’’, in Lagos on Thursday, that the ships are expected to arrive at the Lagos Port Complex.
The publication indicated that the ships contained general cargo, bulk salt, wheat, sugar, container, trucks, bulk gypsum, petrol, palmitic palm fatty acids and frozen fish.
Meanwhile, another seven ships that had arrived in the ports with container, general cargo, ethanol and petrol were waiting to berth.
Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), said the Authority would apply international standards and best practices in handling ships and cargoes at the country’s seaports.
He said this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos signed by Mr Olaseni Alakija, General Manager, Corporate & Strategic Communications, NPA.
Bello-Koko made the remark while addressing members of the Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation led by Senator Theodore Orji, on a oversight visit to the NPA.
According to Bello-Koko, the Authority has created an enabling environment for a well-structured inter-modal system for seamless connectivity of the waterways, rail and road transportation.
This, he said, would foster improved service delivery as well as increase the country’s revenue.
He noted that the various reforms introduced by the Federal Government had a positive impact on productivity at the ports.
He said the dividends were evident in the areas of reduced cargo dwelling time, improvement in cargo throughput, ship turn-around time and drastic reduction in security incidents within and around the ports.
“There is need for better synergy with Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other agencies of government involved in the examination and clearance of cargo, to drive efficiency in Port operations,” he said.
While expressing the appreciation of the Authority to the lawmakers for their visit, Bello-Koko assured that the NPA would work tirelessly to ensure the sustenance of service excellence across the nations ports.
He solicited the intervention of the Committee on efforts to end the perennial traffic gridlock plaguing vehicular activities along the port access roads.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Theodore Orji stated that the Committee would collaborate with the management of the NPA with the view to resolve all bottlenecks at the ports.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has moved to resolve all impediments to the smooth flow of traffic and effective security, within and around the TinCan Island Port Complex.
Its Acting Managing Director, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, said in a statement signed by Mr Olaseni Alakija, General Manager, Corporate &Strategic Communications, in Lagos on Saturday.
Bello-Koko made this known when he recently led senior officials of the authority on an on-the-spot assessment visit to the TinCan Island Port Complex.
Bello-Koko, who also visited the Sunrise Bus Stop area of the Apapa – Mile 2 highway which had become a failed passage, noted that the poor road situation within the corridor (the major artery in and out of the Tin Can Island Port) remains a huge concern to the authority.
According to him, the improved traffic situation along the Tin Can Port approach from what it used to be some months back is one of the positives from the synergy between the NPA and the Lagos State Government.
He added they also deployed the necessary security and equipment needed to check indiscriminate parking on the road as well as an end to the menace of touts and other criminals.
He observed that some of the internal roads within the Port Complex were in a state of disrepair.
He, however, assured that the authority in concert with other relevant agencies of government and the National Assembly, would mobilise resources as soon as possible to fix such roads.
Describing the Tin Can Port Complex as too porous, the NPA MD noted that the wire gauze perimeter fence installed as a means of preventing unauthorised access in line with the International Ships and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) Code recommendation, had been pulled down.
He noted that much stronger wall of protection must be put in place to keep off people who do not have any business having access to the complex.
He disclosed that upon a thorough security assessment, the management would be left with no alternative than to use prefab wall fencing, since the wire gauze type could not stand the test of time in view of how it was easily damaged.
He further said that the visit had availed the management an opportunity to evaluate where the access control gate should be mounted out of the three entry gates into the complex.
He noted that the authority working with the relevant authorities would move to fast-track the necessary public procurement processes.
Speaking on the objective of his visit, he said: “We are here because you recall that we met recently with the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the essence of the visit was to strengthen our partnership with the state government.
“This is toward reducing the heavy vehicular congestion, especially in Apapa. We also talked about the poor state of the road along the Tin Can Island Port corridor.
“We have pleaded with Hi-tech, the contractor handling the Apapa-Mile 2 highway, to ensure that the Sunrise Bus Stop end of the road is worked on speedily, even if it is palliatives to make it passable, that is why we are here.
“You can see that the Tin Can end of the road is now clear, that is the result of the collaboration between NPA and the Lagos State Government because we’re working together to ensure that trucks that are not meant to be here are not here.
“We want to consolidate on this and consistently ensure that trucks that do business at the ports, picking and dropping of containers, do so without encumbrances.
“We also came here to look at the Port environment, we noticed that the wire gauze fencing had been pulled down by people and we have done the risk assessment. The best thing for us is to consider prefab fences, which we believe will do the work on a sustainable basis.”
He noted that there had been reports of pilfering, stealing and vandalism of containers, which must not be allowed to continue.
He insisted that the management was poised to put an end to such criminal acts by moving to upgrade the authority’s security architecture.
He said that on the internal roads within the Tin Can Island Port, some of the roads within the Port had failed and the responsibility of NPA to fix.
He added that they would liaise with the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the National Assembly to mobilise the required resources.
Bello-Koko decried a situation whereby it took several hours for a truck to access the ports because of failed portions of the internal port roads.
He cited several instances where container laden trucks fell while trying to manoeuvre within the port, a development he described as unacceptable.
On the deployment of the electronic call up system, code named “Eto”, he noted that the system was yet to be effective in the Tin Can Port corridor, due to the poor state of the access road.
He, however, noted that though he was not completely satisfied with the deployment of the “Eto” platform, but disclosed that the platform manager had been given up to the end of June to deploy necessary assets and human resources, to complement the reconstruction of the roads by government.
On port automation, he stated that the authority had directed all the terminal operators and shipping companies to embrace smart solutions to enhance service delivery.
“While many of them are making the right investments, the level of compliance is not where it should be,” he said.
He said there was the need for a Port Community System where every stakeholder including the NPA could interface with one another.
He added that although it takes significant resources and time to automate, but hoped all segments of the industry would automate their systems to make port operations timely and less cumbersome.
“Some of the deployed security operatives from the Nigerian Police, LASTMA, Nigerian Armed Forces and NPA security personnel have been found culpable of corruption and extortion,and strong disciplinary measures in line with public service rules are being taken against these bag eggs,” he said.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) will soon resolve all teething challenges impeding the smooth implementation of the electronic call-up system for trucks doing business at the ports, its Acting Managing Director, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, said on Tuesday in Lagos.
Bello-Koko made the pledge while interacting with truck owners and drivers during his visit to the Lilipond Terminal in Ijora.
A statement signed by Mr Olaseni Alakija, General Manager, Corporate and Strategy Communications, said that the visit was to enable the Acting Managing Director have a firsthand assessment of the IT infrastructure built for the call-up system, which is domiciled in the terminal.
It quoted him as saying that he was at the terminal to re-evaluate the performance of the truck call-up system three months after it was deployed.
“I also want to engage directly with the service users to appreciate their concerns and those bottlenecks arising from their subscription of the traffic management platform.
“All teething issues arising from the truck call-up system will be addressed progressively; both the online scheduling process and truck transit arrangement will be fine-tuned to check against manipulation and other related irregularities.
“We will ensure that the entire process is fully automated and secured to prevent counterfeiting, while priority will be given to export cargoes in line with the economic diversification agenda of the Federal Government,” the statement quoted him as saying.
Chief Remi Ogungbemi, President of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), who spoke on behalf of operators doing business at the port, expressed his delight over the unannounced visit of the Acting Managing Director.
He described the visit as a demonstration of the Acting Managing Director’s affirmation that the truck call-up system was a priority.
“We are very happy you are here. It shows clearly that you are a listening and focused leader, who is prepared to tackle the critical issues affecting port business in our country.
“We will work with you; the success of NPA is our success as well. We commend the NPA for giving us this call-up system. The story so far has, however, not been enjoyable. We’re hopeful that things will improve very soon,” he said.
NPA, on February 27, rolled out an electronic call-up system for trucks dubbed “Eto”, to address the intractable traffic gridlock along the access roads leading to the two major seaports in the Lagos area.
The Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi has inaugurated an 11-member panel to probe the activities of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) between 2016 to 2021.
President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the suspension of the Managing Director, Ms Hadiza Bala-Usman, as well as the probe of NPA
The panel is headed by Mr. Suleiman Auwalu, the director of maritime service of the ministry.
Members
Mr Ben Omogo, Director Organisation Design and Development (OHCSF)
Dr. Hussaini Adamu, Director Procurement
Mrs. Mercy Ilori , Director, Transport Planning Coordination
Mr. Muhiy-deen Awwal, Director, Human Resources Management
Mrs Blessing Azorbo, Director Legal (OHCSF)
Mr Mohammed K. Usma, Director Finance and Accounting (OHCSF); Mohammed Lawal Garba, Director Audit (OHSCF)
Mrs Rose Olaniyi, Deputy Director, Administration (OHACF)
Six of the members, including the co-chair, are those nominated by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), which according to Amaechi, is to allow fairness for the suspended MD, who he added, had not been declared guilty.
He said since about N1.5 trillion is involved in the investigation, adding that the panel does not have a time limit.
He pleaded with members of the public to allow him and the Minister of State for Transportation, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki to do their job.
Term of Reference
The terms of reference of the panel as follows:
Examine and investigate the administrative policies and strategies adopted by the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority and confirm compliance with extant laws and rules from 2016 till date.
Examine and investigate the administrative policies and strategies adopted by the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority and confirm compliance with extant laws and rules from 2016 to date.
Examine and investigate Issues leading to the termination of pilotage and other contracts of Nigerian Ports Authority and confirm compliance with the terms of the respective contracts, court rulings and Presidential directives.
Examine and investigate compliance with the communication channel as obtained in the Public Service.
Examine and investigate the procurement of contracts from 2016 to date.
Come up with suggestions and advice that would strengthen the operations of Nigerian Ports Authority and forestall such occurrences in future if any and any other matter that may be necessary in the course of the assignment.
The suspension of the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, came as a surprise to many stakeholders, who are in the dark on what really forced President Muhammadu Buhari to approve the sanction and subsequent probe of the Authority.
Leadership newspaper, has an insight into the crisis.
A former director of finance in the agency, Muhammad Koko, has been asked to oversee the affairs of the agency in acting capacity pending the outcome of the investigation.
Usman’s abrupt suspension has continued to elicit reactions, with different conspiracy theories doing the rounds on why the president took the decision.
The unhealthy scheming and power play within the seat of power arising from muscle flexing between Hadiza and the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, were part of the reasons why the NPA boss was axed.
An impeccable presidency source confirmed to our correspondent that the embattled NPA boss was suspended following the questionable manner in which her tenure was extended.
It was gathered that Hadiza’s tenure was extended six months ahead of the expiration without the recommendation from the supervising minister, Amaechi, in direct contravention of the NPA Act.
The tenure extension, according findings further revealed, was engineered by some power brokers in the presidential villa who allegedly approached the chief of staff and lobbied him to raise a memo to the president asking for her tenure to be extended.
“The NPA Act and, indeed, other extant rules provide that the renewal of her tenure can only be done on the recommendation of the minister. And so when the minister was sidelined, he felt slighted.
“Clearly, by not getting the minister’s recommendation, the purported tenure extension granted her was illegally done and, hence, is a breach of the NPA Act,” our source who did not want his name in print hinted.
It was learnt that Amaechi, obviously as a way of getting back at the minister, refused to forward some of the major contracts, which the Hadiza-led management of NPA had wanted to award, to the federal executive council (FEC) for approval.
The source said that Hadiza had outlined some major contracts that needed FEC’s approval for execution, but when memos for the contract were sent to the Ministry of Transportation, the minister did not table the same before the FEC for deliberations and approval.
Obviously enraged by the fact that her requests for contracts never went beyond the minister’s table, Hadiza reportedly approached the president directly to complain about Amaechi who she accused of sabotaging her efforts to implement the Buhari administration’s agenda at the ports.
Also confirming the development, another presidency source said the president directed her to make a formal complaint, which she did.
“Her memo, which was sent directly to the president, raised weighty allegations against the minister. Of course, the president directed the minister to respond,” the source told our correspondent.
In his response, Amaechi was said to have raised weighty allegations against Hadiza, backing them up with a series of petitions written against her by some stakeholders in the industry.
Our source said Amaechi, while responding to the allegations levelled against him, also drew the president’s attention to the fact that Hadiza’s purported tenure extension was illegal.
It was further gathered that after receiving Amaechi’s memo and seeing the enormity of the issues raised by the minister, he promptly ordered Hadiza’s suspension and a probe to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of all the allegations raised against her.
Among Hadiza’s many sins is the fact that she was also opposed to the bill to set up the National Transport Commission, because she was aware the commission would have been a super-quasi regulator.
The president had directed the attorney-general of the federation to work on the bill and resubmit it, but Usman was said to have approached the minister and discouraged the bill, a factor that also contributed to her ouster.
According to sources, Usman and Amaechi have been at loggerheads in the past few months over the procurement procedures for at least two multimillion-dollar contracts at the NPA.
The NPA had gone into different Joint Venture (JV) contracts with some of them expected to expire this year.
The source who craved anonymity informed LEADERSHIP Weekend that the minister had wanted contractors handling the Joint Venture retained but Usman insisted on a competitive tendering process in line with the Public Procurement Act 2004.
Aside contracts, the minister also accused the NPA management of low revenue remittances to the country’s Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) and demanded an audit but Usman denied the allegation, saying the agency had remitted funds to the government in line with its budget and as detailed in its audited financial statement.
In a document made available to LEADERSHIP Weekend and dated March 4, 2021, with file number FMT/ Ref/No:A/OMP/1/01, entitled ‘Remittance of Operating Surplus to the Consolidated Revenue Fund Account (CRF) by the NPA from 2016-date’, the minister alleged that the ports’ remittances from 2016 to 2020 were in deficit to the tune of N165, 320, 962,697.
The minister, in the letter personally signed by him and addressed to President Buhari, called for an audit of the NPA account for the period stated above to ascertain the true financial position of port revenue and the outstanding unremitted balance.
The letter reads, “It has been observed from the records submitted by the Budget Office of the Federation that the yearly remittance of operating surpluses by the NPA from year 2016 to 2020 have been far short of the amount due for actual remittance. I wish to suggest that the financial account of the activities of the NPA be investigated from the period of 2016-2020.”
The minister, however, urged the president to allow for an audit of the account and remittances of the authority to ascertain the level of shortfall.
“Approve that the account and remittances of NPA in the period of 2016-2020 be audited to account for the gross shortfall of remitted public funds,” he wrote.
However, in her response to the chief of staff to the president, Ibrahim Gambari, dated 5th May, 2021, a copy of which was made available to LEADERSHIP Weekend, the suspended managing director, in the letter with reference number MD/17/MF/Vol/XX/541, said the figures so provided by the Budget Office of the Federation as the operating surplus for the respective years on which basis they arrived at the shortfall were derived from submission of budgetary provision, and not the actual amounts derived following the statutory audit of the authority’s financial statements.
According to her, NPA’s audited financial statements for the period 2017 and 2018 provide operating surpluses of N76.782 billion and N71.480 billion for 2017 and 2018 respectively, contrary to the sums of N133.084 billion and N88.79 billion arrived at from the budgetary submission.
Usman’s response reads, “The attention of the Authority has been drawn to a letter conveying Mr. President’s approval for the Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMoT) to conduct an audit of the accounts of the Authority and its remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CFR). This arose from a correspondence between the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF) and the Federal Ministry of Transportation where the Budget Office of the Federation conveyed to the FMoT an observed shortfall of the Authority’s remittances to the CFR.
“We wish to state that the Authority’s basis for arriving at the Operating Surplus on which basis the amount due for remittance to the CFR is guided by the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007, as amended, and further based on the statutory mandate Part 1, S.3(1) (b) &(d) whereby the Fiscal Responsibility Commission issued a template for the computation of Operating Surplus for the purpose of calculating amount due for remittance to the CRF.”
The NPA MD further stated in the letter to the president’s chief of staff that the Fiscal Responsibility Commission that accessible operating surplus of the Authority stands at N51.09 billion and N42.51 billion for 2017 and 2018 respectively and not N133.084 billion and N88.79 billion in the years under review.
“Accordingly, the figures so provided by the Budget Office of the Federation as the operating surplus for the respective years on which basis they arrived at the shortfall are derived from the submission of budgetary provision, not the actual amounts derived following the statutory audit of the Authority’s financial statements.
“Audited Financial Statements of the Authority for the period 2017 and 2018 provide operating surpluses of N76.782 billion and N71.480 billion for 2017 and 2018 respectively, contrary to the sums of N133.084 billion and N88.79 billion arrived at by your office from the budgetary submission.
Some maritime stakeholders in Lagos have backed the Federal Government’s suspension of the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), saying it had the right to hire and fire anyone in its establishment.
The stakeholders were reacting to the suspension of the Managing Director of Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala-Usman on May 6, by President Muhammadu Buhari, to pave the way for an administrative inquiry of the NPA management.
The President’s spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, late on Thursday, announced the approval of the recommendation of the Ministry of Transportation under Rotimi Amaechi, for an administrative panel of inquiry on the NPA management, as well as the suspension the Managing Director.
Similarly, Shehu also announced the appointment of Mohammed Koko as acting Managing Director of the NPA, pending the completion of the investigation by the panel, to be headed by a Director.
The panel is to be headed by the Director, Maritime Services of the Ministry, while the Deputy Director, Legal of the ministry will serve as Secretary.
Capt. Tony Onoharigho, President, Nigerian Institute of Shipping (NIS), in his reaction, said that there was nothing wrong with someone being suspended in so far as the person committed an offence.
“Unfortunately, for now, nobody knows what Bala-Usman has done but if she has done what requires a suspension, so be it.
“The federal government appointed her as the managing director of NPA and if they feel she is not doing the job well again, then she has to go.
“For me, I do not see anything wrong with the change, except if she did not commit any offence and is being victimised, then we will speak against the federal government’s decision.
“But, if the employer finds her not being worthy to still be in the position, she should take it in good faith,” he said.
Onoharigho noted that as president of the NIS, he would prefer a situation whereby a person does not stay in a position for too long, so that other capable hands could be given a chance to operate in the industry.
Also reacting, Mr Remi Ogungbemi, Chairman, Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), said he believed that this was purely an administrative issue within the management of the authority.
“But, I will state that anyone that has the power to hire, also has the power to fire in any establishment,” he said.
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the suspension of the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman.
The President also approved the setting up of an Administrative Panel of Inquiry to investigate the management of the Authority.
The approvals were based on the recommendations of the Ministry of Transportation under Mr Rotimi Amaechi.
According to Mr Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity), Bala Usman will step aside while the investigation is carried out.
He said that Mr Mohammed Koko of NPA will act in that position.
The panel is to be headed by the Director, Maritime Services of the Ministry while the Deputy Director, Legal of the same ministry will serve as Secretary.
Other members of the panel will be appointed by the Minister.