The youthful and quintessential Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), keeps garnering numerous laurels on account of his magical leadership
On Friday, May 12, 2023, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, landed another prestigious award as the Maritime Icon of the Year 2022 organised by Champion Newspapers, in Lagos. The latest award is in recognition Bello Koko’s fast-track approval processes leading to the operations of Nigeria’s first deep seaport, unprecedented revenue generation and remittances to consolidated revenue fund, port infrastructure renewal, milestone steps towards the deployment of the Port Community System (PCS) to lay the groundwork for the National Single Window that is necessary to tackle the challenge of duplicity of functions and attendant delays in the ports, as well as the facilitation of the renewed export orientation of the Federal Government and efforts towards increased utilization of ports in the eastern region. The Editorial Board of Champion Newspapers conferred the honour on the NPA boss for his proved track record in public service leadership.
Equally, the medium added that, Bello-Koko earned the award, for injecting audacious leadership acumen into the NPA. The Group Managing Director, Champion Newspapers, Dr Nwadiuto Iheakanwa, said Bello-Koko’s ingenuity has made the nation’s seaports surmount some of the known challenges that have made the nation’s ports largely inefficient over the years.
She said, “On all scores, our findings, largely corroborated by that of independent assessors, confirm that NPA under your management in the last four years has received fresh impetus due largely from your exemplary leadership skills, sustained its solid tradition of excellence and trajectory as an agency of first choice and agency that has made the country proud and contributed immensely to its economic and social development.
“Your ingenious, creative, pragmatic and resilient approach to leadership has brought a lot of transformation to the NPA which has continued to surmount some of the known challenges that have made the nation’s ports largely inefficient over the years. These include infrastructure deficits, policy and regulatory inconsistencies, overlapping functions, and duplication of roles among ministries, departments and agencies operating at the ports and high incidence of infractions.” The newspaper described Bello-Koko as a pragmatic leader that has distinguished himself as a dynamic business administrator, innovative manager, and a technocrat.
Eulogizing further Bello Koko’s sterling leadership, Iheakanwa insisted that “We note, with delight Sir, that you are first among the leading Chief Executive Officers in Nigeria that have distinguished themselves not only as a dynamic business administrator, innovative manager, and technocrat but also shown a high degree of integrity and transparency in both private and public affairs.
“Since your assumption of office, as a technocrat and seasoned professional, you have put in place policies and strategies that helped transformed NPA and increased its revenue base as one of the foremost government agencies. Indeed, you have demonstrated passion, dedication, competence, commitment and dynamism required to build a leading port in the world today.”
The Champion Newspapers award has since increased the leadership integrity rating of the Managing Director of NPA within and outside the maritime sector domain.
