The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman, has pledged the commitment of the organisation’s management in improving on its tradition of transparent and excellent service that would make the nation’s ports become hubs in the sub-region.
Ms Bala-Usman made the pledge during the 2017/2018 Long Service/Merit award dinner ceremony of NPA held in Lagos on Saturday night.
According to her, the management of NPA was committed to not just changing the ways things were done but in bequeathing a tradition of transparent and excellent service.
She said positive performance of workforce would make the nation ports the hub in West and Central Africa.
Ms Bala-Usman said the management had decided to recognise the labour of some of the staff members, which emerged from their determination to register the premium that the management placed on staff contributions to the development of NPA.
“We understand that the workforce is an integral part of whatever good stories we would be able to achieve and tell about our initiatives, hence the determination to periodically show appreciation to the dedicated staff.
“Tonight, therefore, we are gathered here to honour our long – serving and dedicated employees of 25 years upwards and at the same time celebrate those who have demonstrated excellence by achieving uncommon feats in the course of duty.
“Beyond these regular recognitions of serving and retiring staff members, management considers encouraging a well-motivated workforce with the requisite character, competence, and capacity to optimize our rich maritime endowments.
“This is part of the dreams of building a new culture in the authority,” she said.
According to her, without a motivated workforce the sustainability of the reforms undertaken so far, as well the audacious goals poised to achieved as enunciated in the 25-year Port Development Plan would remain unattainable.
The NPA boss said achieving the development plan informed the recent thorough review of NPA condition of service with robust provisions aimed at equipping employees to be best-in-class in the industry.
She said the authority had also worked towards correcting all the previous anomalies in the salary structure as well as ensuring justice in the career progression of personnel.
“We are taking the totality of the wellbeing of personnel seriously.
“As we consider the need to train and retrain towards building capacity to cope with the dynamism of our industry, we have also been paying attention to the health and mental needs of our staff.
“The goal is to be a competent and committed workforce to our collective interests,” she said.
Ms Bala-Usman pledged to continue to strive to improve the relationship between management and staff and inculcate a sense of ownership to every staff member and bring NPA’s dreams to fruition.
She, however, congratulated all the awardees, adding she was optimistic that the event would encourage all ‘colleagues’ to strive for excellence.
NAN
