NIWA hosts media partners, highlights causes of boat mishap

…increases water marshals from 80 to 350 personnel

By Bose Adelaja 

CITIZENS COMPASS – The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), has highlighted some causes of boat mishap across the country assuring that recalcitrant boat operators would be dealt with accordingly.

Speaking at a media parley at Sheraton Hotels, Ikeja, Lagos, on Friday, NIWA Managing Director, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, said the Agency was ready to partner media practitioners to promote safer waterways in Nigeria.

Oyebamiji who was accompanied by his General Managers across the federation also said his administration would not relent in its pursuit.

He said within a year of his administration, NIWA, through the supervisory effort of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy under the leadership of His Excellency, Dr Gboyega Oyetola, CON, has a new Water Transportation Code, 2023.

He said within the same period, NIWA has deployed several operational assets including 15 boats of varying capacities to promote efficiency service delivery.

The Managing Director said the Authority has provided greater incentives to its workers through the official commissioning of several capital projects to promote a better working environment.

“I welcome you all to this media parley. Personally, this meeting is very dear to me as it allows me to be closer to a circle of people whose opinions are very important in nation-building. More important, is the benefit the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) will derive from having in the audience, people of your calibre. To me, after God, the next is the government followed by the media in that order. Our meeting today, although long overdue, it is better late than never.

“Dear Journalists, we have called this meeting for two reasons. Firstly, to thank you the opinion shapers for all you have been doing for the National Inland Waterways Authority from time. We cannot thank you enough. NIWA has its history in the Inland Waterways Department (IWD) of the Federal Ministry of Transportation. It is on record the amount of support IDW of the old received from the media at the time. Since its creation, NIWA has never been short of media coverage, however little and unflowery it may seem, we still have you to thank.

“The second reason for the meeting is to brief this esteemed group about the direction we have taken NIWA through in the last one year of my appointment. Within one year, NIWA, through the supervisory effort of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy under the leadership of His Excellency, Dr Gboyega Oyetola, CON, has a new Water Transportation Code, 2023. Within the same period, we have deployed several operational assets including 15 boats of varying capacities and uses to promote efficiency and service delivery.

“Similarly, we have provided greater incentives to our workers through the official commissioning of several capital projects to promote a better working environment. Not only this, we have continued to treat the welfare of our workers as a priority always.

“Distinguished guests, despite the aforementioned, there is a sore point that has always put NIWA in a bad light. The twin issues of safety and insecurity on the inland waterways always overshadow every gain recorded by NIWA whenever it happens. To confront this headlong, we have reconsidered our safety campaign approach to focus more on the grassroots using community resources.

“Within one year, NIWA has carried out more grassroots safety campaigns than at any other time within the same period. Also, we have deployed water marshals across different loading and offloading points in the country.

“It may interest you to know that within three months of its launch, we have increased the number of our water marshals from 80 to 350 personnel. Recently, these officers were directed to commence 24-hour surveillance within selected locations to arrest the ugly incident of night travel and overloading.

“Ladies and gentlemen, just yesterday in Abuja, we gathered the critical stakeholders in a meeting for several hours to evaluate the current challenges on inland waterways transportation and find possible solutions. The meeting which had in attendance the Honourable Commissioners of Transportation from more than 24 states, among other groups, highlighted several important measures that must be taken to arrest the twin issues of safety and insecurity on the inland waterways. Of note, is the need to increase the level of awareness and campaign within the sector. Hence this meeting. We urge you, as opinion shapers, to partner with NIWA, in its mission to promote safer waterways through media advocacy. “This is important to us because, of all the causes of accidents on our waterways, human error takes the lead. A further evaluation reveals that poor attitude and blatant disregard for safety protocol account for the greatest cause of boat mishaps. We therefore call on you to join us in educating our people on the need to be safety conscious always.”

Fielding questions from journalists, he said boat mishap is mostly caused by human errors especially at rainy seasons. “As much as we prepare for this, you find out that some boat operators are always found wanting but we won’t rest on our oars,” said the Managing Director.

Similarly, Sarat Braimah, Lagos Area Manager, Engr. Dakio Housfall, General Manager, (Marine Services), Henry Ebere Adimoha, General Manager, Survey and Abdullah Dabar, General Manager, Human Resources & Administration, spoke extensively about NIWA’s efforts in curbing some of the daunting challenges on the inland waterways.