Even as there is no confirmation yet about his return to the Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA) as the board chairman, there are strong indications that chieftain of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Chief Tony Anenih is on his way back to the prime government agency to superintend activities.
The recent appointment of the new managing director, Mallam Habib Abdullahi is seen by many employees and sources close to the agency and the ministry of transport as the precursor to the reconstitution of the board of the plum agency.
Even as there is no confirmation yet about his return to the Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA) as the board chairman, there are strong indications that chieftain of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Chief Tony Anenih is on his way back to the prime government agency to superintend activities.
The recent appointment of the new managing director, Mallam Habib Abdullahi is seen by many employees and sources close to the agency and the ministry of transport as the precursor to the reconstitution of the board of the plum agency.
The board of NPA was dissolved alongside others in October last year, but sources told Shipping Position Daily that the Edo state- born top politician has never really stopped wielding influence in the agency.
A source in the organisation told our correspondent that, “even the recent (last week) staff disposition by the new managing director was with his (Anenih’s) consent” adding that, “ the image of Chief Anenih still looms large here and he is still the chairman”.
Corroborating what our correspondent gathered in NPA, another source in the ministry of transport confirmed that even though, he has not been named yet, it is likely to be announced before the end of Ramadan when some of the dissolved board would be reconstituted.
“We all know that he is yet to be officially announced, but he is on his way back as chairman”, the source told our correspondent last week, shortly after the new managing director formally took over.
However, insider sources within the ministry and NPA have fingered the politician for the removal of Engr Omar Suleiman as managing director. Chief Anenih was alleged to have not had a good relationship with the former NPA boss since the latter’s aborted attempt to reshuffle the management of the organisation in 2011.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that Engr Omar Suleiman had carried out a major reorganisation of the organisation, leading to the redeployment some general managers and redesignation of the office of the port managers.
The bold move was allegedly stopped on the orders of Chief Anenih who was still the board chairman at that time.
“Since then, the chairman has not been very comfortable with him, he is involved in the plot which led to the removal of Suleiman”, a top ministry official told our correspondent
Another dimension to the return of Chief Anenih is the apprehension among NPA workers about an imminent staff downsizing.
Some workers have hinted of a plan to further retrench workers, a fear that the two workers unions have allayed.
A staff who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that, if there is any MD who may want to do it, it the incumbent.
The president of NPA branch of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Leke Sanni said the union was unaware of any such plan and that if it will be the union must be in the know.
We hear a lot of rumours, until I am able to confirm that I cannot speak on it. I do not think anybody in his right senses will want to retrench the Nigerian Ports Authority workers further, they brought us from almost 13,000 to about 4,000 now except they want the Nigerian Ports Authority to go into extinction and that will never happen”, he told our correspondent.
His counterpart in the senior staff association, Comrade Omezia Jimoh also corroborated that the union is not aware of any such plans. “Why will anyone do that, if it is going to be, the two House Unios will be informed and if we are convinced, we will then inform our members, but we have not be officially informed of any such plans, it’s not true , they can’t do it”, he stressed.
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