Rather Than Retrench, Npa Would Employ – Hadiza Usman

Source: thewillnigeria.com

SAN FRANCISCO, November 11, (THEWILL) – Hadiza Usman, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has debunked retrenchment rumours saying the NPA is not planning to retrench staff but would rather recruit more staff.

Usman made this known during a tour of Warri Port where she described the story of retrenchment as a rumour adding that the management had tasked the General Manager, Human Resources, to bring up ideas on succession plan of the organisation.

She explained that the NPA management introduced performance-based appraisal so that every personnel would be appraised solely on his or her performance.

She declared that the management would take remedial measures so as not to allow ships to be grounded at the Escravos breakwaters due to high siltation and suggested that emergency remedial measures should be put in place to ensure that no vessel runs aground at the Escravos breakwaters.

The Port Manager of Warri Port, Simeon Okeke, had highlighted the dangers posed by the breakwaters and the channels leading to the port due to high siltation reporting that in the absence of vital buoys, it has become impossible to navigate, adding that a number of times, vessels went aground.

Okeke lamented that the right vessels were not coming into Warri Port because of the shallow nature of the berths and suggested dredging and mooring of the channels of Warri Port as well as the removal of wrecks.

He also spoke about the problem of encroachment of port land and litigations and called for a review of port tariffs and restructuring of the port.

“The port needs intensive promotion to give the correct image as well as the complete rehabilitation of the facilities in the port,” he said.

Story by Oputah David