The Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, has expressed desire in consolidating the Public/Private Partnerships blueprint already initiated by his predecessors in office, as a way of opening up new opportunities to maximized full economic potentials of the nation’s waterways.
Mr. Oyebamiji made this commitment while speaking with newsmen at the end of his 2-day working visit to NIWA office in Warri, Delta state, yesterday, as part of his on-going familiarization tour of its facilities across the country and also to boost the morale of its workforce on the task ahead in re-positioning the parastatal.
Responding to how he intended to continue the initiated partnership between NIWA and Burutu Port Management in the state, he expressed optimism that the synergy would no doubt boost commercial activities along the Delta waterways and reaffirmed to stakeholders Public Private Partnerships across the country.
According to him; “The way to go is the ( PPP) that’s the best way to go and that’s the norm now in the world. So that is what the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is preaching and I think my predecessor he has taken a good step and we are going to follow it through. We are going to be sure that the partnership with people who have genuine intentions and purposes are sustained”.
On the issue of Waterways security and efforts being made by the establishment to partner with security agencies in ensuring safety, especially along its right of ways, Mr. Oyebamiji, recounted various initiatives so far taken by the Minister, Chief Adegboyega Oyetola, in addition to the key areas te parastatal had also made its own inputs.
“Recently, when I came on board and especially after we have strategized with our various stakeholders, we have decided to take our security arrangements to the grassroots. We have engaged the various heads of villages across the coastal area in robust discussions in this regard. So that as natives that effectively manage their environment”.
“They understand their terrains, so they are in a better position to tell us more about their creeks and the flash points. They their people, so they can guide on the good and criminally minded individuals in their areas and thus you will agree will go a long way in assisting us to tackle the issue of insecurity within our areas of operations”
“In addition to this, we have also employed our securities, we have the —————-, we have the Marine Police, then our security and at the same time we have the gun boats. Remember in the last about three months ago or so, we commissioned some newly acquired gunboats and I can tell you that they are being deployed “.
On his general assessment of tour of the facilities, Mr. Oyebamiji, noted; “part of the reason I came here is to evacuate what is on ground here in Warri office and our dockyard here I think so far it’s fine but there are still rooms for a lot of improvement and that is what we are going to do. And that is the reason am here to actually see for myself what and what we needed to prioritize in order to position the Inland Waterways to serve our people better and improve our revenue base.
Earlier during a meeting with the workers, Oyebamiji, had reiterated his commitment to the welfare of staff, interns of training and retraining, promotions and remunerations, including the education of the children of his work force.
While expressing his willingness to meet all their demands, he noted that he might be constrained by inadequate funding hence he had to prioritize their requests. He however urged them not to be discouraged but see their present position and an opportunity to make the difference in making Inland Waterways more efficient and productive.
In his opening remarks, the Warri Area Manager, Engr Rufus Oladimeji, had thanked the Managing Director for providing them with an operational vehicle and went ahead to reel out a number of requirements needed at the Zonal office to boost its operations.
