‘With Water Transportation Code, We Can Now Sanction Offenders’ – Oyebamiji

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

Contrary to belief in some quarters that the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) appears less responsive to tackling the twin issues of boat operators’ violations in addition to taking appropriate measures to stem the tide of waterways accidents, the authority leadership weekend set the record straight; noting that management has been up and doing.

Speaking with maritime media at Sheraton Hotel Ikeja Lagos, NIWA Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji said that his focused since coming onboard has been to secure the enabling act that empowers the authority to sanction offenders, disclosing that with the enactment the Water Transportation Code, 2023, the authority can now bark and bite.

While regretting the spate of accidents that has been happening which he attributed to more of human errors through disregard for safety guidelines, Oyebamiji said he has stepped up campaigns to improve adherence to operational safety and regulations.

“In the last one year of my appointment, 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”, he said, adding:

“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 campaign 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.”

Fielding questions from journalists, the NIWA boss explained that there has never been a lax between operational guidelines, monitoring and enforcement, noting that the only missing link was the power to sanction offenders, which his administration with the active support of the supervising ministry of marine and blue economy has already secured.

Obviously much more concerned about a safe, improved waterways transportation than many thinks, Oyebamiji is not the typical political appointee that sits back and watch things fall apart only to react, he explained steps he and his management has taken in the last one year to make waterways transportation in the country, safe, competitive and enjoyable with broader outreach into unofficial locations.

“Just yesterday (Thursday, October 24, 2024) 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 protocols 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.”

Responding to media inquiry on the continued involvement of the authority in water hyacinth removal, Oyebamiji said that as a leader, he does not consider the effort which includes floating assets driven company like caterpillar equipments economically wise, even as he disclosed that NIWA under his watch is considering outsourcing that task.

“I always believe that government has no business in business. Our position is that NIWA should outsource the removal of water hyacinths in other to free government funds from such a venture” even as he hinted that the authority is already in discussions with development partners through the supervisory ministry to enhance operational enforcement and safety.

“NIWA through the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has opened a discussion with the Ministry of Transportation of Spain for the purpose of importing Spanish technology to monitor Nigeria’s waterways. We were in Spain and we were told that the Spanish waterways administration does not use men for monitoring. They use technology surveillance systems which monitor the waters and transmit reports to base. If there is an accident or violation, the base is immediately alerted and in the case of accidents, rescue mission is immediately dispatched.”

To further deepen the safety measures on the waterways, the NIWA boss said the agency will prevail on the Presidency through the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to abolish the use of wooden boats which are more prone to accidents; stating however that the measure will be in phases.

Journalists were unanimous in thanking the NIWA MD for his sincere, pragmatic, doable and focused leadership credential in re-engineering and repositioning the waterways transportation subsector.

He was not only perceived and applauded as being honest and forthright in getting things done; Oyebamiji demonstrated an uncommon leadership character that is focused on delivering service and ameliorating pains faced by citizens and the ordinary masses.

Immediate President of the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON), Paul Ogbouikiri and Chairman Board of Trustees, Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), Funsho Olojo and Innocent Orok, Publisher of RoamReporters Newspaper urged the NIWA boss not to relent, stating that he is an asset to the Oyetola led ministry of marine and blue economy.