• Koko hands over new staff clinic, five other completed projects to successor

Immediate-Past Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr. Mohammed Bello Koko has said the agency generated N541 billion in the first half of the year.

He said the agency also remitted N255 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Funds (CRF) within the first six months.

Koko said the performance of the agency in the first half of the year surpassed its year-on-year total revenue generation and remittances in any year, putting the cumulative revenue of the NPA between 2022 and the first half of 2024 at N1.423 trillion

According to him, his administration put in place sustainable reforms, especially a drastic improvement in the Turn-Around-Times of vessels and trucks in Apapa and TinCan ports.

He, however, said he is handing over a new staff clinic and five other completed projects to his successor for inauguration.

He confirmed that the NPA raised staff salary during his tenure, even as he pleaded with them (members of staff) to cooperate with and redouble their commitment to his successor.

The outgoing NPA MD, who dropped the hints in his valedictory remarks at the handover to his successor Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho at the agency’s headquarters in Lagos, said he felt fulfilled for improving NPA better than he met it.

He said: “We recorded an unprecedented growth in revenue generation and remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) from Revenue of N381 billion in 2022 and N501 billion in 2023 to N541 billion in the first half of 2024 and remittances to CRF increasing from N93.4 billion in 2022 to N206 billion in 2023 and to N255 billion in the first half of 2024 – surpassing our year-on-year total revenue generation and remittances in any year.

“With unprecedented tax remittances to the Federal Government ranging up to N60 billion in the period of my stewardship, we raised the bar higher.

“Our hope and prayers are for the new management to continue on this trajectory and surpass it. But we were also deliberate on dialogue and driving reforms.”

He listed some of his achievements in office to including all-round port efficiency.

Koko said: “We hit the ground running with the necessary approvals to get the Lekki Deep Seaport fully operational to retake the lost transit and transshipment cargo.

“Promoted the non-oil export drive of the President by setting up ten (10) Export Processing Terminals (EPTs), mainstreaming it to the NXP and e-call up system to facilitate exports, and the result is evident in the attainment of a foreign trade surplus, as highlighted in the NBS report for Q1 2024.

“Upgraded data center, servers, storage, and business continuity; established a data recovery and protection unit with an up-to-date data protection audit certification.

“Digitised staff attendance for accountability and improved productivity; ensured the sustainability and free flow of cargo by clearing the decade-long traffic gridlock menacing the Apapa and Tincan Island port complexes, and its environs.

“Provided aids to navigation such as buoys, fenders, and bollards across all the ports, and also enhanced seaside operations by providing marine crafts, pilot cutters, tugboats, mooring boats, etc to improve port efficiency.

“These led to a reduction in both vessel and truck turn-around times. The vessel TAT went down from an average of 6.5 days to an average of 5 days, while truck TAT went from an average of 10 days to a few hours.”

Koko also said he was happy to have attained 100 per cent Ease-of-Doing-Business rating by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

He said: “We also restored service boat management  contract with attendant boost in revenue;

“Concluded the consultancy for the deployment of a Vessel Tracking System in conjunction with NLNG Shipping;

“Secured FEC approval for the expansion of the Snake Island Port and a willing private investment to the tune of $300m on this project;

“Secured FEC approvals for the development of new ports such as ports of Ondo, Badagry, Burutu, and Snake Island expansion project, amongst other proposals that have reached advanced stages of review and approval;

“Consultancy for the development of the 25-Year National Ports Masterplan to guide investment and port expansion plans;

“Attained a 100% ease-of-doing-business rating by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), despite having the most number of reforms;

“In addition to the aforementioned, we were also able to conclude with the FMMBE/BPP on the deployment of the Port Community System (awaiting a few processes before seeking FEC approval), and its corollary, the National Single Window, as well as propel the subject matter of port modernization to conclusive stages with the signing of the mandate letters for the reconstruction of TinCan Island and the comprehensive rehabilitation of Apapa, Rivers, Onne, Warri, and Calabar Port complexes, respectively.”

On the six projects being handed over to his successor for inauguration, Koko said: “We have also completed some key projects that are ready for commissioning. These projects are crucial to staff development and improved efficiency.

“Some of them include; the Staff Clinic at Lagos Port Complex; inter-agency building at TinCan Island Port to accommodate agencies in the port in one place to enhance operational efficiency; security mobile scanners at the Lagos Port Complex; administrative buildings of the Tincan, Warri, and Rivers Ports; Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria’s Headquarters; upgraded Revenue Invoicing Management System (RIMS 2.0); and employees e-medical records management”.

“Let me begin by appreciating all of you for the life-applicable experience of the last eight years of my sojourn in the NPA.

“Looking back, I would like to summarize this tremendous phase of my life as a learning curve and an abiding history or experience.

“As I bow out today, I feel fulfilled for two reasons. Firstly, by working with all of you here, we have repositioned the authority for greater operational efficiency and unprecedented revenue generation and remittance to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Secondly, my sense of fulfillment derives from the fact that we have achieved a lot and have made the Authority far better than we met it, and now handing over to a management team of distinguished professionals with the requisite character, competence, and capacity to sustain and indeed surpass the current performance trajectory.

“As many of us are aware, the Authority under the management team I was privileged to lead was able to position the Authority for improved efficiency, revenue generation, accountability, and adherence to international best practices in port management and operations.”

He thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former President Muhammadu Buhari for “the incredible opportunity to serve as the MD of the NPA”.

Unveiling his plans for port rehabilitation and modernization, Dantsoho said that priority will be given to total automation of NPA processes and adequate staff welfare.

He said: “We will continue the digital transformation of the Authority and reinforce the current efforts at deploying the Port Community System (PCS) which we believe is key to our dream of total automation of our processes, thereby eliminating leakages and corruption.

“The current efforts towards infrastructural renewal and development will be enhanced. In particular, we will drive: Port Rehabilitation and Modernization

“We will pay attention to the logistics that surround the arrival of cargoes along the port corridor, their receipt at the terminals and loading onboard ships in the most efficient way and also cargo evacuation from our ports.

He listed other targets as follows:

* Deep sea Ports Development, in order to unlock the full potential of the economy;

 * Promotion of transparency, accountability and Ease of doing business in our ports;

   *We shall enhance collaboration and communication between sister agencies and promote stakeholder engagement.”

[TheNation]