It’s just five months under the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s ruling Unity Party Alliance (UPA) government and the National Port Authority (NPA) has already raised US$2 Millon towards the revenue envelope of this country.
That was made visible on Tuesday June 25, 2024 when the Managing Director Sekou Dukuly of the NPA presented a symbolic cheque of US$2M to Government of Liberia (GoL) during the Minister of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) briefing.
He argued that during the last six years of former President George Manneh Weah Government, the NPA under the then leadership of now River Cess County Senator Bill Tweahway only made a total contribution of US$4M to the government revenue.
Mr. Dukuly also pointed out that the then MD Tweahway and team also collected social security fees and personal income taxes from employees at the Ports but didn’t remit them to national government account.
“Today, June 25, 2024, in just about five months, the National Port Authority will contribute two million United States dollars to the government of Liberia general Revenue Account. To put that in context, in six years of former President George Manneh Weah, they made a total contribution of four million.
However, he booster that in five months they were able to raise half of that amount,” the NPA Managing Director noted.
Mr. Dukuly, however, failed to tell Liberian what are the total or average amount the NPA had generated before making a contribution of US$2 million to the general Revenue Account of the Government. However, the money was presented to the government bearing EcoBank Liberia sealed.
Meanwhile, speaking on progress made at the NPA since taking over, he said that they have established a very remarkable corporation with their largest concessionary at the Port, NPA Terminal and has also regularized their meeting with AML, the largest port user at the Port of Buchanan, in Grand Bassa.
Mr. Dukuly added that, they are also working on digitalization of the ports to enable the public have access to live data and happening at the ports.
He further indicated that the digitalization is for the four ports which includes Monrovia, GreenVille, Buchanan and Happen, Maryland County.
Mr. Dukuly noted that they have been regularly in paying retirement benefits to employees and have also electrified the port 24/ a day.
” We have installed twenty four hours night time navigation of vessels coming in and leaving the port. Vessels will come in and birth before twenty four hour and it’s has to wait onces it’s after 7:00 pm before sailing. We have also done a comprehensive auditing of our payroll. We started major payroll last month and the results will be share with the public.” He stated.
The NPA Managing Director lamented that they have updated their access system, which aimed to generate additional revenue for the port thereby moving it from a manual system where anybody can enter at any time and anyhow.
” For the first time in our country history, we were fortunate to receive an exhibition cruo vessel coming in with over one hundred and twenty tourists on board,” Mr. Dukuly added.
Commenting on challenges confronting ports across the country, he said since pre-war Liberia has never make significance in capital investment, starting with the ports. However, he urged for improvement and investment in the infrastructure of the ports across the country.
According to him, in Monrovia, 95% of the Country Gross Domestic Products (GDP) gos through the Port of Monrovia, adding that if the country is expected to receive 95% of everything that comes in the country through the Port, it means that the government must made investment in that infrastructure.
“We will be going back to the legislature and the executive for some readdress. We are currently negotiating a seven benefits payment for our former Board Members. We are negotiating Marine service with APM Terminal that expired last year that was never extended.
Responding to the incident at the Port of Buchanan recently, he revealed that a man (employee) and his colleagues entered a fight and stabbed his friend badly.
The NPA Managing Director described the incident as being “politically motivated” while urging everyone that elections are over and all should work together for the country.
He noted that the incident is being investigated fully and they will take action based on the recommendations that will emerge from the probe.
“As President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has said, there is no UP or CDC Liberia. However, I also want all to know that there is no NPA UP and CDC. We are all Liberian and if you work for the NPA, we don’t believe that you should be witch-hunted.
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