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The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mr. Bola Munirudeen Oyebamiji, has said that the Authority had put in place a robust framework for monitoring and evaluation of contracts to ensure adherence to project timelines, quality standards, and financial accountability.
Oyebamiji stated this while addressing members of House of Representatives Committee on NIWA who were on oversight function to the headquarters of the Authority in Lokoja, Kogi state on wednesday.
According to him, NIWA under his leadership remained committed to its mandate of developing and regulating Nigeria’s inland waterways to stimulate economic growth and improve transportation networks.
He therefore solicited the urgent support of the House of Representative committee on NIWA in providing increased funding for the agency’s operations, noting that capital dredging that is key performance indicator for the Authority in 2024, there was no money budgeted for the project in the 2024 Capital Budget.
“Similarly, we would humbly urge the Honourable Members to continue to support the Authority’s advocacy and enforcement drive to promote safety and security on the inland waters.
“This becomes necessary due to the bad publicity NIWA gets whenever an accident occurs on the inland waterways not minding the cause of the accident or the effort of the Authority in preventing same.
“I therefore call for strong support to the Authority more than ever before. As we continue our efforts to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the Authority, your input and guidance are crucial in ensuring that we meet our operational objectives” the Managing Director NIWA said.
Speaking on lack of adherent to water transportation codes by the boat operators and users, the Managing Director disclosed that 350 water Marshall have been deployed to enforce the code on the nation’s waterways, noting that the Marshalls which was drawn from riverine communities are working assiduously to achieve the desired result.
He lamented that most boat mishaps on waterways are cause by human errors as a result of usage of illicit drugs and other dangerous chemicals by some of the boat operators, stressing that a lot of measures have been put in place to curb the menace through the involvement and collaboration with the of officials of NDLEA.
The Chairman of the House Committee on NIWA , Mr. Ojema Ojotu who lead other seven members for the oversight function, described the Authority as integral part of Nigeria’s transportation framework that offered immense potential for enhancing connectivity, reducing road congestion, and stimulating economic growth.
According to him, as representatives of the people, it is imperative to ensure that the potentials abound in the waterways are harnessed effectively for the benefit of all Nigerians, noting that the visit would availed them the opportunity to scrutinize critical areas such as operational efficiency, safety on our waterways, infrastructure development, and the overall management of resources allocated to the Authority.
“We recognize the unique challenges associated with managing waterways, including the recurring issues of boat mishaps, flooding in vulnerable regions along the waterways, and the demand for modernized infrastructure such as inland ports and navigable channels. As we deliberate today, it is imperative to consider how these challenges can be addressed to enhance safety, efficiency, and economic viability” he stated.
