Boss Mustapha vows to reposition NIWA for optimum performance
Managing Director of Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, Alhaji Boss Mustapha, has expressed his determination to reposition the agency for optimum performance.
Alhaji Mustapha stated this during a chat with the Chairman of Nigeria International Ports and Terminal, NIMPORT, Development Promotion group, Mr Fortune Idu. He said that the authority would soon be taking its rightful place in waterways development and reposition the agency to meet the expected target. Idu was at the NIWA headquarters in Lokoja to begin discussions with the agency on their future programmes and how it will be captured in the development and promotion plans of NIMPORT 2017 exhibition, which is scheduled to hold in August 2017 in Lagos.
Mustapha said that plans were in top gear to give NIWA a face lift as the agency was being repositioned to meet its mandate. “The Act that set up NIWA empowers it to improve and develop inland waterways for navigation and as an alternative mode of transportation for the evacuation of economic goods and persons. It has been observed that NIWA in the past years had been faced with several developmental challenges, from reduced revenue allocation from the central government to indiscriminate usurping of its duties by some other agencies and state governments leading to unregulated activities within and around the corridors of Nigerian waterways,” he said.
Source: Vanguard
For Inland Waterways to function effectively in Nigeria, the Dredging of the River Niger must be considered a top priority. Nigeria is so blessed with waterways across all regions that if properly maintained, could serve as a major means of transportation as well as generate revenue for the organization.