The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has rewarded 664 staff with Long Service awards as a gesture of their dedication to the service of the organisation.
The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Usman, commended the awardees in a message to 2012/2013 Long Service Awards organised by organisation in Lagos.
She said that cargo throughput had increased from 45 million tonnes in the pre-concession era to 78 million tonnes, adding that the increase in cargo throughput was experienced after concession exercise due to improved port infrastructure.
Usman, who was represented by the Director, Finance and Administration, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, said that the concessioning regime had resulted to bigger ships calling Nigerian Ports and a significant improvement in revenue.
She said that NPA was very compliant with the implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, adding that as a result, port security had improved.
The managing director said this had earned the authority commendation by the U.S. Coast Guards.
Usman said that the authority had advanced in its automation process, adding that the automation had created room for operational efficiencies.
She attributed all the achievements recorded by the Management of NPA to dedication to duty by the highly-educated and experienced workforce.
“Without the collective efforts of the entire staff in ensuring that these processes succeeded, we would not be here to celebrate because there would be nothing to celebrate.
“Today we are recognising our esteemed officers and staff who had dedicated 25 to 30 years to the service of the authority.
“Our annual long service award gives us a chance to recognise and show gratitude to this category of people, who have served the organisation meritoriously.
“This gesture will also encourage and motivate the staff to continue putting in their best, ‘’ the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes Usman as saying.
In his presentation, Bello-Koko, who was represented by the General Manager, Human Resources, Mr Yahya Abubakar, said that one of the priorities of the management was to improve on welfare of existing workforce.
He said that the management’s effort could be attested to today, with the implementation of the award ceremony for 664 officers and staff who had served the authority for 25 to 30 years as at December 2013.
“Today’s event marks the beginning of annual recognition of all deserving staff, who meritoriously served the authority over the long period of time.
“This is evident, as we have make adequate provisions for the next edition of the long service award in the 2017 budget.
“I call on you today not to rest on the achievements of the past but to brace up for challenges for greater achievements in the future, ‘’ NAN quotes Bello-Koko as saying.
He said that the management recently promoted some personnel, who had stagnated on one level for as long as nine years and more, adding that the recruitment of fire service men and women which had lingered, was completed by the present management.
Bello-Koko said that the management was in conclusion stage of payment of upfront housing allowance to all staff in January yearly.
He, however, said that many more great feats would be achieved as management was totally moving the organisation upward and forward in line with the directives of the Federal Government.
NAN reports that some of the awardees commended the efforts of the new management, saying that the long service awards were overdue.
The General Manager, Monitoring and Compliance of NPA, Capt. Ihenacho Ebubeogu, said that the seeming delay by the management in organising such awards should not be encouraged.
Ebubeogu said that delay in organising such an event would create suspicion.
He commended the present management for deeming it feet to organise the long service award, saying that the gesture would motivate other staff.
The General Manager, Marine and Operations of NPA,
