Mohammed Bello-Koko's appointment as the Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority came to an abrupt end today Friday, July 12, 2024. A new Managing Director was announced immediately to take over the affairs of the agency by the information reaching this media through the presidential spokesperson Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity. The relief of duty was made by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu who also appointed Abubakar Dantsoho as the new NPA Managing Director. Senator Dayo Adeyeye, was also appointed as the chairperson of the NPA board. It could be noted that Dr. Bello-Koko was praised by the presidency when the agency said that its annual revenue grew to N501bn in 2023 from N361bn in the privious year. Bello-Koko, in a statement recently, attributed the revenue growth to the implementation of performance improvement measures. It could be recalled that the revenue profile of NPA rose from N317bn in 2020 to N361bn in 2022, despite its remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Account increasing from N80bn to N91bn in the last one year. It noted that it had “succeeded in leapfrogging Nigeria’s foremost trade facilitation platform to surpass its sterling performance” in 2022. “The implementation of performance improvement measures resulted in unprecedented revenue generation and remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, with revenues steadily growing from N361bn in 2022 to N501bn as of December 2023,” it added. The agency disclosed that remittances rose from N93.4bn in 2022 to N131.2bn in 2023, adding that taxes paid to the government of the federation, grew at various times in the period under review, “totalling the sum of $77.7m and N17.6bn respectively,” Bello-Koko said. While speaking at the
Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman and Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi when the relationship was cordial.
commissioning of newly acquired tugboats by NPA, Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi also expressed satisfaction with the existing collaboration between Customs and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in areas of export, customs modernization and port decongestion. He revealed that the Nigeria Customs, like the NPA, recently ranked 5th on the Ease of doing business ranking by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) He said the agency moved 27 places, up to the 5th position, thereby scoring a 100percent. “As Nigeria Customs Service, what we know is that 70 percent of all our operations is conducted in all the ports that we have in this country, this means that we must be deliberate and intentional in working with the custodians of the port. “The MD of NPA puts collaboration in the forefront and we have found it comfortable for us to work together. The Nigeria Customs Service sees this event as an opportunity to deepen the efficiency of NPA and translate into better collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service. “We also believe our collaboration with NPA is taking different dimensions, we are collaborating on export, which President Bola Tinubu takes seriously, we are also collaborating on the Customs Modernization Process that is going on, we have a very active partner in the Nigerian Ports Authority. This turn of events according to this source gave no reason for the change of baton. Mohammed Bello-Koko was appointed Executive Director, Finance and Administration by former President Mohammadu Buhari
Bello-Koko, the former MD
in 2016. In February 2022, he became a substantive MD when the former Managing Director, in the person of Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman was suspended. The new Managing Director, Dr. Dantsoho holds a Doctorate degree in Maritime Technology from Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, and a Master’s degree in International Transport from Cardiff University of Wales, United Kingdom. Before his appointment, he had served in various roles in the Nigerian Ports Authority as Assistant General Manager; Technical Assistant to the Managing Director; Port Manager, Onne Port; and Principal Manager, Tariff & Billing. Senator Adeyeye, the Board Chairman, is a seasoned lawyer, journalist, and politician. He is a former Minister of State for Works and former Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District. According to the report, President Tinubu expects the new leadership of this important agency to deploy excellence in the discharge of their duties to the best of international practice. Meanwhile the League of Maritime Editors (LOME) on Tuesday July, 16, 2024 congratulated the new Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Abubakar Dantsoho, as well as the Chairman of the Board, Senator Adedayo Adeyeye for their new appointment. The League described their appointment as a call to national service and one full of expectations at such a critical time of the national economy and falling trade volume. In a statement signed by the President of the group, Chief Timothy Okorocha and the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Francis Ugwoke, the League said the appointment of Dantsoho and Adeyeye is well deserved considering their wealth of experience and rich credentials. The League however called on the new management team to ensure that it continues with the rehabilitation of obsolete ports infrastructure nationwide. The foremost Maritime Publishers pointed out that poor ports infrastructure has impacted negatively on trade facilitation, adding that the new management should pay special attention to this so that the nation’s ports will be like other world ports. They also urged the new management not to lose sight of developing trends in the world maritime arena as they affect Nigeria for the interest of the national economy. The group also prayed to God to give Dantsoho and Adeyeye the wisdom and strength to carry out their new assignment for interest country.
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