ELEVEN months after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu named Adedayo Adeyeye, a former senator, as Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the board has yet to be inaugurated.
Adeyeye revealed this on Wednesday, June 11, when he featured on “The Morning Show on Arise TV.
Adeyeye, also a former Minister of State for Works, said he had yet to fully resume duties as NPA Board Chairman because nearly a year later, he did not know the board members.
“There is not a board in place as we speak. So I am chairman, appointed, issued a letter of appointment, but I do not have a board by which I could preside (over)”, he said.
Recall that the President approved the appointment of Adeyeye alongside Abubakar Dantsoho as the Managing Director of the NPA on July 12, 2024.
He had urged the new leadership of the agency to demonstrate excellence in the discharge of their duties to guarantee efficient port services and improved industry standards.
Members of the Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA) and the National Association of Maritime Transport Operators (NAMTOP) recently protested in Lagos State, decrying the collapse of their businesses and alleging that port logistics had been taken over by foreign truck operators and Nigerian military personnel, leaving local transporters sidelined and struggling to survive.
When asked what the board had done over the past year to address the challenges facing the agency, Adeyeye said he was not in a position to respond, as he could not effectively perform his role without a fully constituted board.
“The process is being finalised now. My last information is that the President has constituted the board. He has assented to it.
“And we are awaiting the inauguration by the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy. So that is why I have not been able to act as I would have wanted to. I’ve not been in a position to initiate policies or provide solutions to some of the issues you raised.
“I am recognised as the chairman, but without a board that could take decisions properly for the organisation. That is the situation as of now,” he said.
Adeyeye also urged fellow board chairmen facing similar delays to remain patient.
“Without boards, no chairman can function effectively. You need a board because the board is the body recognised as the final authority in any agency like that. And without that board, you as a loaner, as a chairman, you can’t take decisions on behalf of the board.
“And I think the president has his own reasons. Don’t forget, this president is well-experienced. I believe at the appropriate time, he’s going to do it.
“I want to appeal to people in a similar position to be patient. It is good enough that you are recognised for these important positions,” the former federal lawmaker added.
The ICIR reports that NPA generates significant revenue for the Nigerian government.
In 2024, the NPA generated N758.26 billion in revenue. It is a major contributor to the national treasury and plays a vital role in Nigeria’s economy.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.