NPA Reverses Deployment Of Managers

The Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) Board of Directors chaired by Chief Tony Anenih, has reversed the deployment of some key senior officers of the Authority recently carried out by the Managing Director of the NPA, Engr. Umar Sulaiman.

The board in its meeting, told the affected officers to stay – put in the previous positions as the Managing Director had no such powers to redeploy the senior officers without the approval of the board.

According to a statement signed by the Public Affairs Manager of the Authority, Chief Michael Ajayi and made available to The Tide in Lagos, over 10 managerial cadre of the authority were deployed. They include, Mr. M.D Bulangwu, General Manager Western Ports, who was moved to the Authority’s Headquarters as General Manager Commercial.

Mr. Sotonye Etomi, General Manager Eastern Ports, was moved to the Headquarters as GM, Monitoring and Regulating Services, while Habib Abdullahi was posted to Delta Ports as Port Administrator. Also redeployed was Ms. A.M Sonaike, General Manager Human Resources, posted to Tincan Island Port as Port Administrator, Mr. C.N Okonji, GM, Monitoring Eastern Ports, posted to Calabar, as Port Administrator and Mr. Abba Rufai Umar, General Manager Special Duties, posted to Rivers Ports as Port Administrator. Also affected in the aborted transfers, were Onwenyenwa Simeon Obumneme, formerly Port Manager, Delta Ports, posted as Port Administrator, Onne Port.

It was gathered that the board came heavily on the Managing Director of the NPA, Engr. Umar Suleiman for not consulting the board before the aborted redeployment. Also the changing of the status of port managers as presently known to port administrators was condemned by the board.

It was not, however, clear, whether the board will approve such redeployment in the future.

It would be recalled that three senior staff of the authority was retired by the Managing Director on the guise that, they had spent over ten years on their positions as managers without promotion.

Their retirement sparked off a round of protests by the affected staff.