Wednesday, 22 March 2023

NIWA: LAGOS OFFICE TOO SMALL FOR OPERATIONS


NIWA: LAGOS OFFICE TOO SMALL FOR OPERATIONS
By: Bisi Akingbade

National Inland Waterways Authority,  NIWA, is ready to reconstruct a new jetty at its Lagos Area Command even as a Police Building is also been constructed for the agency in the state.

The Managing Director, NIWA,  Dr. George Moghalu made it known during the  hosting of  the Board Chairman of  NIWA, Senator Binta Masi Garba, and other members of the board at the NIWA Lagos Area Office.

He said that the agency has entered into Public Private Partnership, PPP, with some companies who would invest in the waterways and open it up by injecting facilities and purchasing more boats.

Moghalu said “We believe that the maritime sector has great potential to expand the Nigerian economy. So we have open contacts with companies on PPP arrangement to open up the waterways, unless we do this, we cannot maximize the profitability of the sector.” 


The Board Chairman, NIWA, advised the agency’s management to prioritize the needs of Lagos as part of efforts to encourage the commendable output at the Area Office.

Her words “Lagos Area Office is becoming too small, and motivation is key to any staff if you want to get the best from them. I align myself with the needs of the workers, without the funding and the vehicles, there is no way they can move around to get more IGR”

“The joy that I have is that they, NIWA  are now autonomous, they can create things for themselves, they are now an agency generating revenue to take care of their wellbeing and give back some fraction of it to the federal government,” 

Senator Garba also led a tour of NIWA facilities in Lagos and commended the Lagos Area Office under the leadership of Engr. Sarat Braimah in the area of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) which hit N1billion, an increase from the previous N600million.


The Lagos Area Manager, Engr. Sarat,  Braimah said "The Lagos Office of NIWA is due for a remodel. Also, our generator is over 20years old and due for a change. We also need more security to man our jetties.

We also need more operational vehicles because naturally, people don’t want to pay tax. You have to chase them around to ensure they pay. So, we need more operational vehicles to do this.

“We also need a Slip-Way. We currently don’t have any in Lagos, and that’s why most of our marine boats are not getting adequate repairs. The Slip-Way we are currently using is owned by a client, but we need our own Slip-Way.

“We also need to establish our presence in Ikorodu, Epe, Badagry and Agbara. 

We currently don’t have jetties in this places.