The immediate past Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello Koko, has said the agency generated N541 billion in the first half of this year and remitted N255 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).
Speaking yesterday at the NPA Headquarters in Lagos during the handover to his successor, Abubakar Dantsoho, Koko said the agency's performance in the first half surpassed its year-on-year total revenue generation and remittances in any year.
He said his achievements in office included all-round port efficiency, adding that he was fulfilled for making the agency better than he met it.
He said: "We recorded an unprecedented growth in revenue generation and remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) from Revenue of N381 billion in 2022 and N501 billion in 2023 to N541 billion in the first half of 2024 and remittances to CRF increasing from N93.4 billion in 2022 to N206 billion in 2023 and to N255 billion in the first half of 2024--surpassing our year-on-year total revenue generation and remittances in any year.
"We upgraded Data Center, Servers, Storage, and Business Continuity, established a data recovery and protection unit with an up-to-date data protection audit certification, digitised staff attendance for accountability and improved productivity, ensured the sustainability and free flow of cargo by clearing the decade-long traffic gridlock menacing the Apapa and Tincan Island port complexes, and its environs."
"We've also completed some key projects that are ready for commissioning. These projects are crucial to staff development and improved efficiency.
"Some of them include the staff clinic at Lagos Port Complex, inter-agency building at TinCan Island Port to accommodate agencies in the port in one place to enhance operational efficiency, security mobile scanners at the Lagos Port Complex, administrative buildings of the Tincan, Warri and Rivers Ports; Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria's headquarters, upgraded Revenue Invoicing Management System (RIMS 2.0) and employees e-medical records management," he added.
Koko thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former President Muhammadu Buhari for the "incredible opportunity" to serve as the Managing Director of the NPA.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Also speaking, the new Managing Director of NPA, Abubakar Dantsoho, said his main goal as the head of the authority is to reposition the organisation for increased productivity and greater efficiency for improved revenue generation to the authority and country.
Dantsoho said the authority under him would rise up to the intense competition from neighbouring countries.
He said the authority will continue the digital transformation of the authority and reinforce the current efforts at deploying the Port Community System (PCS).
