By Joshua Yousouph
The pioneer Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Kingsley Usoh has disclosed that the NSC headquarters building in Lagos which is popularly known as “Shippers’ Towers” was built and furnished with just N250 million during his tenure as the CEO of the Council.
Usoh disclosed this at the 25th anniversary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Senior Staff Association (NSCSSA) in Lagos last week. While appraising the successes achieved by successive management of the Council and the senior staff association, he noted that the Council had faced lots of challenges and also achieved great successes since he took up the mantle as the Executive Secretary of the Council in 1978.
He stressed that the gigantic edifice of the NSC in Apapa, Lagos state was built and furnished with a sum of N250 million during his tenure, even as he recalled that the then management under his watch faced lots of opposition and crises as they were not able to pay the salaries of their staff for nearly six months. According to him, there were lots of quarrels and disagreements, but he enjoyed the support and doggedness of his staff members.
The pioneer CEO stressed that the NSC is a research-based organisation and not a commercial one, adding that it has trained and developed great and superior manpower compared to any agency of government since its inception.
Read Also: Seafaring Plays Critical Role In Nigeria National Security – AMANO
While expressing delight at the level of human capital and infrastructural developments at the Council, Dr. Usoh in his goodwill message, commended the rapid growth and development at NSC over the years. He however urged members of staff to always be knowledge-driven and retain its place as a think-tank agency in the maritime sector.
He said: “This NSC headquarters edifice was built and furnished with the sum of N250 million during my tenure as the Executive Secretary. We trained manpower. We were the only agency under the federal government with the impact of manpower development and I pray that we continue in this legacy”.
“NSC is a research institute and not a commercial one. If you believe in NSC, you shouldn’t believe in writing petitions to destroy those bent on achieving things. I believe the manpower in NSC is superior to those in other agencies. This is because we always trained the NSC staff to be knowledgeable and knowledge-driven. You can tell what the facts are and give the critical information to guide government and guide the industry,” Usoh said.
Kindly like us on Facebook