Dantsoho And The Audacity To Drive Change

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

Whatever bias we are inclined to hold or peddle, every objective and well meaning observer and or analyst will admit that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is undergoing a rebirth of sort both inwardly and outwardly; albeit, almost quietly.

It goes without any gainsaying that these transformations are yielding significant restructuring and repositioning of the port system. As the nation’s economic gateway, it is not surprising that the NPA in the realization of its criticality to the wellbeing of the nation economy is making determined and focused efforts at remaining keyed into the President Ahmed Tinubu led government Change Agenda.

The current endeavour spearheaded by the Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho led executive management is deploying strategic and winning innovations, primed against short, medium, long term modernization designs.

Dantsoho and the Chairman of Akewa Colmar Terminal Limited, when the former paid him a courtesy visit recently

These changes which are glaring and includes fresh strategic initiatives signposts a new reality in strengthening the nation’s capacity to offer a more competitive port trading system, with cutting edge technology aided operation, enhanced human capita participation and improved service delivery.

Needless to mention that these efforts designed to enhance the effectiveness of our ports overall production and cost efficiencies are coefficient and already producing results.

Keen observers would also have taken note of Dantsoho’s concern about raising the volume of the nation’s port trade through increased capacity participation.

Earlier in the week, the NPA helmsman while addressing port operators and investors urged them to increase their investment capacities towards achieving the nation’s expected cargo throughput and returns on port business projections.

Dantsoho who was speaking during a tour of the Apapa and Tin Can Ports in the western operational zone noted matter of fact that investors and all development partners must do more; especially on the backdrop of the present government’s commitment at promoting ease of doing business as well as creating improved business friendly environment.

“I would like to implore all terminal operators to take advantage of the investor-friendliness of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and invest more. Given Nigeria’s huge population, Nigerian Ports definitely deserve greater investment than what is currently obtainable”, he said.

He pledged that the federal government would continue to play its role in not only ensuring that the right enabling trade environment is maintained but in also ensuring the security of goods and properties; including human safety.

Dantsoho and his predecessor, Koko-Bello during the handover ceremony

Stressing the importance of international collaboration and partnership in achieving a viable port system, he said Nigeria will continue to cultivate and support such engagements in fully revamping the national economy via increased international technical support, stronger bilateral relationship and trade frameworks consistent with global conventions.

“In alignment with the World Ports Sustainability program, this Management is keen on Ports eco-friendliness, and we will insist on investor compliance with this global imperative. On our part as regulator, we assure you of all the facilitation necessary to protect your investment and guaranteed returns.”

This is even as Dantsoho reaffirmed the commitment of the federal government to the operability of the proposed National Single Window (NSW) project; and all the benefits that appertains to it, chief among which is trade facilitation and cost efficiency.

“As you are aware, with the commitment of the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, HE Adegboyega Oyetola, NPA has concluded the final phase of the Port Community System (PCS) which will provide the linkage backbone for the forthcoming National Single Window (NSW) project.

“We must translate our vision of being the maritime logistics hub for sustainable Port services in Africa to reality as quickly as possible as the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports are very strategic to the Nigeria’s economy.”

Dantsoho, middle, during one of his recent tour of the port facilities

On the status of the PCS, he said, “We will begin implementation of PCS. We will be on the same page with our terminal operators, other government agencies and our stakeholders. APM Terminals is 100 percent ready for the PCS and ABTL is set.”

While commending terminal operators for investing in equipment and infrastructure, he task them to do more to actualize FG purpose of concessioning the ports.

“Compared to the last 20 years, or even more, the reform that ended in 2006 was a clear departure from when NPA was doing both the cargo and the shipping part of the business. Right from 2006, NPA is structured in the way that we are concentrating on the ship side of the business, private sector are involved in the cargo handling, and the essence of bringing the terminal operators is for Nigeria to be able to have a more advanced infrastructure and equipment without using public funds.

“By bringing in private sector operators, such as terminal operators, what is expected of them by Nigeria is for them to improve infrastructure and equipment, that is the key objective. And as you can see, we have achieved part of that objective. “Because of that, government is trying to see how we will have electronic integration as soon as possible which is what we call a port community system which will advance into the National Single Window,” he said.

He expressed pleasure at the nation’s population viz-avis its natural endowment in maritime resources which he says must be fully developed to capacity.

“God has blessed us with a very huge population which is almost 65 per cent or 70 per cent youths. Our capacity to buy which is purchasing power is bigger than most of the countries in West and Central Africa. That means we can import more for ourselves because we have a democracy that is very robust.

“Right now we are almost getting there by starting the port modernization project which is going to worth a lot of millions of Dollars. We are also dredging the channels and doing a lot as regards technology. People who have been here will testify that we are far better in terms of technology than most of the other agencies. We don’t do anything in NPA now without technology including the payment of our salaries. To that extent we are doing as much and we can to do better,” he said.

While applauding major port operators, he enjoined them to do more to support the port industry comprehensive development blueprint.

“In Apapa, we have a company or terminal operators like APMT, like ABTL, and then at Tin Can, we have Five Star Logistics and others, they are doing their best to improve infrastructure and equipment.

“Much has been done but we are not where we want to be or that we have achieved 100% of the goals we set out to achieve; we are looking to see how we can improve the relationship, how we can integrate so that we can move faster and because of that, government is trying to see how it is going to effect it as soon as possible.”

On his administration’s determination to raise the bar in the nation’s export trade corridor and also expand the overall capacity utilization of ports outside Lagos, Dantsoho announced plans to resuscitate the Burutu Port in Delta State, and upgrade it into a designated export port to cater exclusively for export cargo shipment.

Dantsoho who was speaking when he received the chairman and executive management of Akewa Colmar Terminal Limited (ACTL),  concessionaire of the Burutu Port at NPA House Lagos yesterday, Thursday 28th November, 2024, the NPA boss said plans to revamp and utilize all existing ports in response to the growing sub regional maritime space and the new continental trade imperative, flowing from the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

“To deepen our competitiveness, we must deepen our capacity to attract and retain huge investments in our Port infrastructure. I say this in view of the transformational developments being witnessed in the maritime countries along the coast of West and Central Africa.

“Whilst we are working assiduously to optimize the Warri channel, we cannot allow the potential of the navigable waters around the Delta Port clusters which can bolster Nigeria’s solid minerals export go to waste. We therefore set to progress this auspicious project to its next milestone once the report of the technical team is submitted in two weeks”.

Poised to achieve optimal port trade performance, Dantsoho recently said that although the port industry has improved to an appreciable extent following the ports reform and privatization, both in terms of infrastructure and equipment, he said there is need to increase the scope and for Nigeria to sustain her leadership staus as regional port hub.

Dantsoho’s audacity to build on strong pillars he inherited and a determination to refocus on fundamental areas that will enhance the overall gains of the maritime domain is the hallmark of leadership capacity.