From left: Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiz Bala Usman receiving some journals published by the Nigerian Maritime Law Association NMLA, from its first vice president, Mrs. Funke Agbor during a courtesy visit by the association to NPA recently.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman has reiterated the commitment of the management towards the training and retraining of legal officers employed by the authority and the reinvigoration of the organisation’s legal unit with a view to achieving improved administrative efficiency and optimal output. This, she insists, could only be facilitated through capacity building, especially by effectively interfacing with maritime lawyers.

The MD, who gave this assurance, spoke when the executive members of the Nigerian Maritime Law Association NMLA, visited her at the NPA headquarters, Marina, Lagos, assuring the visiting maritime lawyers of improved synergy on pending cases involving the organisation in various courts across the country.

According to her, the management would in the coming days seek legal support in the interpretation of bills especially the Ports and Harbours and the Nigerian Transport Commission NTC, Bills presently at the National Assembly.

President of the NMLA, Chidi Ilogu SAN, while speaking earlier, informed the gathering that the association, which was formed in 1979, is the Nigerian arm of the Committee on Maritime International CMI, and was formally admitted as a member at its Conference in Canada in 1981.

It was gathered that the association comprises various professionals who among others promote, practice, and study the advancement of Maritime and Mercantile Law with emphasis on Nigerian Maritime Law and its administration. It also affords the opportunities for the discussion and consideration of Maritime related matters of interest to its members.

The group however applauded the positive contributions of the NPA in the area of its policies on Ease of Doing Business, level playing ground for port users, efficiency in port operations, improved turnaround time for vessels and the new deep seaport initiatives.