TheCable

The board of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has approved the redistribution of all general managers in its employ.

The agency also approved a new organisational structure and the commencement of a business process re-engineering initiative that “will create synergies to improve efficiency”.

“The far reaching initiatives which are aimed at making the NPA a truly professional and performance driven organisation, were approved at a board meeting which held at Eko Hotel and Suites on July 27, 2017,” Ibrahim Nasiru, principal manager public affairs of the organisation, said in a statement.

“The management notes that this review has become important because NPA’s structure has remained the same in spite of the 2006 concession which changed the Authority status from owner/operator to landlord.

“This change in status brought about the concession of cargo handling operations to the private sector; outsourcing of dredging, towage services and vessel maintenance, use of contractors to build infrastructure.

“Changes approved by the board include: the reduction in the number of general managers from 25 to 22; the upgrade of the hydrography and dredging department into a division status to be headed by a general manager in recognition of its strategic importance to the authority.”

The authority said it is convinced that the developments would enhance its growth in different areas.

“The business process re-engineering process is the next phase of the re-organisation and it will detail work procedures that will enable the Authority take full advantage of the technology that has already been deployed and terminate the low capacity utilization engendered by manual processes,” the statement read.

“The NPA is mindful of the welfare of its employees and has assured them that no job will be affected by this process. Staff of departments that have been scrapped or merged will be deployed to newly created departments fitting their competences

“The Authority assures that the ultimate goal of this initiative is to institute a transparent and efficient system which will deliver the best dividend to Nigeria and its citizens. We solicit the support of all Nigerians to the achievement of these goals.”