Nigerian Ports Authority: Issues and Challenges
On August 13, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari sacked Prince Adobayero and recalled Habib Abdullahi from retirement to continue his job as managing director from where he stopped. While maritime stakeholders continue to speculate on PMB’s reasons for Habib’s recall, we congratulate him on his unprecedented reappointment.
haveb assumed duty duty again as managing director of the NPA, we wish to draw Habib’s attention to the following areas/issues affecting NPA:
Trainings
In celebrating his two years in office as MD NPA, Malam Habib Abdullahi, announced the training of over two thousand staffs of NPA in different operational areas within NPA at an undisclosed cost to Nigerians. We are concerned about the impact of such trainings on NPA’s operations in particular and the entire maritime industry which seem to get worse with such trainings-by other agencies in the shipping sector as well.
We urge Habib to continue staff trainings but with emphasis on content, relevance with intent at improvement on productivity. Trainings organized to patronized myriad of consultants, whose focus is on what they could get and participants who scramble to attend for the joy of tea break, lunch and allowances therefrom remains a drain and draw back on maritime development.
Staffs anywhere must be trained to improve their capacity to deliver on the job. If this is not the case, organizers, trainers and participants in profit/allowance based trainings could be seen as jesters in circus.
Port Access Roads
Without meaning to belabor the issue, port access road nation-wide should be a source of huge embarrassment to management and staffs of NPA. Contract after contract, the roads go from bad to worse. If Habib could prioritize reconstruction/rehabilitation of these roads, he would be leaving a mark of honour after his serving as managing director at NPA.

Promotions
Several staffs of NPA are suffering from emotional trauma arising from promotion disorder. It is a case of over promotion for some and under promotion for others, who, though due for promotion have been left un-promoted for years. This is neither a morale booster nor elixir for motivation. This kind of imbalance and unfair treatment does not foster relations neither does it enhance productivity. It serves as disincentive which makes staffs uncommitted with feelings of haven been cheated and marginalized. It is imperative that Habib resolves all such pending cases, effect justice, restore confidence and encourage camaraderie if he wants to work with a happy, well-motivated work force. No matter how beautiful the office, no matter how well equipped, no matter the facilities/gadgets installed, nothing of much value will emanate therefrom if the occupant continually broods overs management decisions affecting his/her wellbeing.

Sea Port Development
The Lekki and Ibaka deep sea ports are projects started by former managing directors of NPA. Habib should continue from where they stopped, bring them to operational status and take the credit for their commissioning. The economic gains expected from these ports are huge. Habib should muster courage, gather the political support/goodwill and bring these deep sea ports to reality.
Dredging/Pilotage Services
These remain core functions of NPA in the post concession era. Navigational channels especially in the eastern zone remain a huge challenge. The more contracts for dredging are awarded the more un navigable the channels become and the bigger the controversy that arises on cost, work done or not done, quality of work, payments made etc. from contract splitting to outright disregard for/denegation on contract terms, NPA remains embroiled in controversies on the dredging or otherwise of the Calabar port with Port-Harcourt and Warri left to the mercy of nature/determination of private operators to survive. We appeal to the new managing director to give some attention to these sea ports for the overall economic development of Nigeria.
Technology
Globally, port operations are becoming more automated than ever before. The deployment of technology facilitates speedier processes and reliability and trust in the system. The introduction of the Electronic Ship Entry Number, E-sen, and the e-payment platforms are innovations that Habib and his team should improve on while enacting new, better and faster processes of doing business at the ports.
Security
Global insecurity calls for greater vigilance. NPA must remain vigilant, train and retrain its security personnel and ensure that terminal operators/concessionaires remain complaint to dictates of the International Ships and Port Security, ISPS, Code. Regular monitoring/supervision mechanisms must be ensured. Deployment of technology in this crucial area and its effectiveness will be a plus for Habib if he puts his mind to it. Whatever motivate or demotivate some security personnel of NPA to act the way they do at the Apapa port complex, Tin Can port and at marina must be looked into and resolved. Security men and women must be encouraged to remain proud of the wonderful, indispensable work they do.

It is on record that 86, 603, 903 metric tons of cargo passed through the ports in 2014, an increase of 12.6% over the 76, 886, 997 metric tons of 2013. There is room for improvement. Factors responsible for cargo diversion to neighbouring ports should be looked into to ensure an increase on the above figures. The quest to make the Nigerian sea ports the preferred hub in the West-African sub region is far from being achieved. Reasons why this remains so are not farfetched. They are better known to NPA and should form areas of concentration for Habib if he wants to make impact on his return as managing director, Nigerian ports Authority.
Pensioners/retirees
NPA workers retired in 2006/2007 following the port reform programme of the federal government continue to raise issues on their entitlements. Protests at the NPA headquarters, marina Lagos are a regular feature in recent times. Reports have it that the Habib Abdullahi led management reabsorbed some sacked NPA workers into the Authority’s pension scheme, leading to some calm being enjoyed from protesting NPA workers which use to be a regular occurrence at NPA corporate headquarters, Lagos.
The plight of pensioners across Nigeria leaves a lot to be desired. It is the height of neglect of citizens by governments at all levels made worse by pension scam cases still pending in court. It would be celebrated if no protest by these group is witnessed as Habib mounts the saddle at NPA.

The Maritime Media
Failed promises was the hall mark of the Habib’s previous tenure as managing director. Except for a select privileged few, majority were left untouched. As critical stakeholders, the maritime media should be partnered by Habib to avoid friction, misrepresentation and misinformation. There is need to ensure that news stories concerning NPA are accurate and factual. Habib is under no obligation to the media, neither is he bound by legislation in dealing with the press but as information conveyor/reservoir, malam Habib Abdullahi should partner the media in his capacity as managing director, Nigerian Ports Authority.