by By Chief Akin Ricketts
Protocol
The Honourable Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Minister of State for Transportation, the Permanent Secretary, the Director, Maritime Services, other Directors, invited guests, members of the press, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.
As is the tradition with this kind of occasions, we are privileged to have been carefully chosen to contribute our quota to the development of our country but in this case, in a strategic area of our national life; the maritime industry.
On behalf of my other colleagues on the Board, I will like to assure Mr. President, through you Honourable Minister that we would do our utmost to ensure that his confidence in us is not misplaced and would not be abused. As a serious Government on a National Rescue mission, we assure you that we will immediately commence discharging our responsibilities without let or hindrance.
As an organisation that has been in existence since 1955, we are sure that NPA wouldn’t have its share of challenges and issues that need to be resolved or need immediate attention. We will do that in conjunction with the Management and all relevant stakeholders. We will ensure that we give every issue and matter that comes to our attention the consideration it deserves and deal with it fairly and objectively, without favour or ill will.
Let me assure the Honourable Minister that this Board does not and would not consider itself an alternate Management nor be in competition with the Management but will synergies with and perform effective oversight of the Management to ensure that the mission, vision and strategic objectives of NPA are achieved.
We will create an atmosphere where employees would be given the opportunity to air their views and express dissent on any policy or action they feel strong about. And we will ensure that measures are emplaced so that this process is not unduly abused. We will ensure that feedback mechanisms are in place from our major stakeholders and port users so that we improve on service delivery, efficiency and capacity.
Honourable Minister sir, the major issues confronting our ports today are capacity utilisation and evacuation corridors. While the ports in the East are being grossly underutilized due to many factors, the efficiency of the ports in Lagos is hampered by inadequate evacuation corridors that lead to congestion on the road, which ultimately affects prompt service delivery. This is a challenge that we intend to confront head-on in conjunction with other stakeholders, with a view to ameliorating the sufferings of port users and ease business in the port, as envisaged by the Federal Government.
May I on behalf of other Board members extend our appreciation to Mr. President for considering us worthy of this appointment and assure you that we will be willing partners in the task of Nation building and ensuring that you leave this country better than you meet it.
Thank you and God bless.
