NPA Commits To Federal Character Compliance, Lauds Tinubu’s Reforms

NPA Commits To Federal Character Compliance, Lauds Tinubu’s Reforms

The managing director and chief executive officer of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has commended the leadership of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), attributing the commission’s ongoing reforms and renewed institutional drive to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while reaffirming the Authority’s commitment to full compliance with the Federal Character principles.

Dantsoho made the remarks on Friday after an interactive session between the management of the NPA and members of the Committee on Works, Transport and Aviation of the Federal Character Commission at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Describing the engagement as productive, the NPA boss said he was impressed by the cordial reception, quality of discussions and openness that characterised the meeting, noting that they reflected a new era of transparency, accountability and institutional reform within the commission.

“I was very impressed by the convivial atmosphere, the warm reception and the quality of discussions. I commend the transformative leadership at the Commission and give credit for these positive developments to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Dantsoho said.

He stressed that stronger collaboration among government institutions was essential for sustainable national development, adding that strict adherence to established laws, regulations and government policies would strengthen public institutions and improve service delivery.

“Everybody should come to the reality that we cannot make meaningful progress without collaboration, partnership and ensuring that laid-down rules, regulations and policies are complied with to the letter,” he stated.

Dantsoho expressed confidence that the growing partnership between the NPA and the Federal Character Commission would further strengthen institutional governance and support national development.

Highlighting the strategic importance of the Authority, he noted that the NPA had remained one of Nigeria’s oldest public institutions for more than seven decades.

He recalled that the Nigerian Navy was once part of the NPA, while the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) evolved from one of the Authority’s departments before becoming an independent agency.

According to him, the NPA manages ports in Port Harcourt, Warri, Calabar, Onne, Tin Can Island, Apapa and Lekki, with responsibility for ensuring the safe and efficient handling of international vessels as well as maintaining critical port infrastructure.

Dantsoho added that Nigerian ports compete with neighbouring ports in Cotonou, Lomé, Ghana and Abidjan for cargo traffic, stressing that improving the competitiveness of the country’s ports would encourage importers to route cargo directly through Nigeria, thereby boosting government revenue.

Also speaking, chairman of the Committee on Works, Transport and Aviation of the Federal Character Commission, Hon. Peter Eze, commended the NPA management for its commitment to collaboration and compliance with the commission’s mandate.

Eze disclosed that the Authority had been fully briefed on the commission’s new compliance framework, revised operational guidelines and sanctions for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) found to have violated the Federal Character Act.

He explained that the engagement was aimed at assessing the NPA’s level of compliance while strengthening cooperation to promote fairness, equity and inclusiveness in the public service.

“The essence of this engagement is to evaluate the performance of the Federal Character Commission’s mandate and to ensure that, going forward, there is no room for non-compliance with the Federal Character principles,” Eze said.

He added that the commission had introduced stricter monitoring mechanisms and tougher penalties to ensure full compliance with the Federal Character principles across government institutions.

According to him, the NPA management was fully briefed on the commission’s revised rules and guidelines, including sanctions and fines for any MDA found to be in breach of the Federal Character Act.

“The major takeaway is that what they did not know about the newly reformed Federal Character Commission under the leadership of the Executive Chairman, Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, has now been made known to them.

“They have been informed about our new rules, the penalties for violations and the measures we will take against any MDA that goes against the commission’s mandate,” he said.

Expressing confidence in the leadership of the NPA, Eze commended Dantsoho for his contributions to the growth of the Authority, saying the agency had recorded significant progress under his watch.

He said he was optimistic that the NPA would fully align with the Federal Character Commission’s mandate, adding that closer collaboration between both institutions would strengthen good governance and promote national unity.

“We are confident that we are going to collaborate very well and make this country a better place,” Eze stated.