BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF
Since the appointment of Mr Bola Oyebamiji as Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA ,one year down the line,the regulatory and supervisory as well as safety roles of the Waterways agency capable of ensuring safety on Nigeria’s water corridor had been on the highest pedestal .
Armed with deep experience and resume from the private sector for over two decades, and as a former public officer in Osun state who manned the Finance Ministry of the State twice, the administrative and political strategy garnered over the years had become a veritable tools towards repositioning the age long agency yearning for a virile leadership.
Not long after settling down for his onerous assignment of managing NIWA, Oyebamiji embarked on massive consultations both at the headquarters and zonal offices, to familiarize himself with the intricacies of the new assignment, as well as chart a new way for more reforms and transformation of the age long agency.
The visits enabled him to familiarize with the progress, prospects and problems of the agency towards drawing a new leaf of life to the water management agency.
While considering the staff welfare , development and capacity building to deliver on its mandate, the new leadership under Bola Oyebamiji embarked on massive reorientation of all stakeholders in the agency, to enable them key into the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Worried by the frequent mishap on water ways before his assumption of duty and after resuming office , he embarked on wholistic rejigging of the regulatory and supervisory roles of staffers of the agency who are directly involved in the management of water ways .
This led to the improved and increased hours of monitoring of water ways to all round the clock, away from the previous 12 hrs in a day , while more hands were engaged to give more room for modest and modern ways of water ways monitoring and management.
Not controlling any unforseen circumstances, Oyebamiji and his management team recently visited areas were they were boats capsized particularly the recent ones in Mokwa axis, and Lagos state among many others, to commiserate with the people of the areas and also educate them on the need to adhere to safety regulations on the water ways .
This was against the backdrop of the previous leadership who indulged in only sending condolences without acquainting themselves of the circumstances that led to the mishap and the way to avert further incidences.
During his visit to Mokwa -Jebba areas of Kwara and Niger state , he held a town hall meetings with stakeholders and community leaders on the need to continue to educate citizens on approaches to water ways transportation.
He advised against night travels on water ways , deployment of worn out boats and arks and avoid overloading, that many atimes were responsible from the unfortunate incidences.
Oyebamiji who maintained that water ways accidents will be avoidable if the people in the riverine areas adhere strictly to the safety rules introduced and managed by the National Inland Waterways Authority NIWA.
He also used the opportunity to visit those families that lost their lives and donated unspecified items to them , while advising strongly against flouting safety regulations particularly on the water ways.
The new approach of visiting areas of water ways mishaps occurred was another opportunity and administrative wizardry introduced by the new leadership to caution indigenes on the water corridor on the need to imbibe safety regulations, and to also adhere strictly to regulatory and supervisory measures put in place by the Authority.
Bola Oyebamiji new wave of developing water ways through provision of more ferries, safety regulations, inspection and monitoring of water ways by it’s staffers , will no doubt translate to a better stead which will in turn reduced to the barest minimum the growing number of water ways accidents in recent times.
With versed experiences garnered both from the private and public sector , no doubt a new dawn has debuted in National Inland Waterways Authority NIWA under his leadership.
Written BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.
