L-R: The Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji welcoming the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, to the unveiling of waterway Codes and commissioning of some landmark projects at the authority’s headquarters, Lokoja, Kogi state, on Tuesday.
KOREDE FOGO
The managing director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, on Tuesday, pleaded with the federal government to ensure that the authority benefit maximally from the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund (CVFF).
Oyebamiji made this plea when the minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, paid a maiden official visit to Unveil the Inland Waterways Transportation Regulations 2023 and commissioning of projects, in Lokoja, Kogi State.
The project commissioned are by the minister are, 15 boats of varying capacities and uses, comprising three boats with 150 Horsepower each for surveillance to ensure that the NIWA Police officers are more visible; five boats with doubles 75 Horsepower each for enforcement of safety rules and regulations; one gun Patrol Boat (combat ready) with 115 Horsepower for emergency response to security threat; and one 62- seater passenger boat as a pilot scheme to replace the wooden passenger canoe.
Others are three fully equipped water ambulances for prompt response to emergencies and two hydrographic survey boats with multi-beam echo sounders to provide a more detailed and accurate picture of the seafloor among other projects.
Accordingly Oyebamiji, further pleaded with the Minister for support in facilitating funding for the capital dredging of 2000 km and the completion of the ongoing inland port at Ganaja, Lokoja.
“As an agency, we are confronted with many challenges including inter-agencies rivalry occasioned by overlapping functions. This calls for speedy action on the NIWA Act currently before the National Assembly. Similarly, we recognise your efforts at ensuring that the Cabotage Fund is disbursed for the greater good of the sector, we therefore plead that NIWA be supported to benefit maximally from this fund and its administrative set-up.
“Also, we are working hard to deliver on the bond signed with the Minister late last year. However, we plead for your support in facilitating funding for our major Key Performance Indicators; the Capital dredging of 2000 km and the completion of the ongoing inland port at Ganaja, Lokoja.
“These are some of the areas we need your quick intervention for us to achieve our mandates. Sir, with your kind permission, we shall present a list of issues we consider critical to our success for your attention,” he stated.
The NIWA boss also stated that a well-motivated workforce is pivotal to organizational success, thereby, putting in place a system which recognised the communities as an important element in our information-sharing and emergency response structure.
“We proceeded further to audit and institutionalise our public engagement strategy by putting in place a system which recognises the communities as an important element in our information-sharing and emergency response structure.
“To achieve our objectives, we started the immediate implementation of Education Grants for all categories of staff. This was followed by the issuance of promotion letters to the deserving staff and the implementation of medical packages for retired Senior Officers.
“We believe that a well-motivated workforce is pivotal to organizational success. We proceeded further to audit and institutionalise our public engagement strategy by putting in place a system which recognises the communities as an important element in our information-sharing and emergency response structure.
“Today, through the Area Offices, we have met and created a database of critical stakeholders and opinion moulders within the ecosystem that can be reached for information dissemination and rapid response. Similarly, we have equally intensified our efforts in public enlightenment and enforcement.
“This is why we are launching the first phase of the water marshal initiatives today. These officers were carefully selected to provide information daily to users of the waterways at selected jetties and loading points. They must ensure that all users adhere strictly to safety regulations always.”