NIWA MD inspects navigational aids, says agency will change safety narratives

Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Dr George Moghalu, says the apex regulatory agency on brown water economy, will leave no stone unturned in the quest to ensure accident-free water transportation in the country.

He further informed that safety on waterways, as a major mandate of NIWA, would be pursued with vigour under his watch as a process to engender confidence among water transportation operators and users, and also to attract local and foreign investment.

Speaking recently after inspecting navigational buoys facilitated by NIWA on Lagos waterways from Marina to Ikorodu, with an ongoing phase two from same Marina, navigating Iworo to Badagry, Dr Moghalu noted that the Lagos template, geared towards activating a national water transportation safety architecture, would further help in emergency rescue operations and provide distressed boats on anchor before help arrives, thus eliminating incidences of crafts drifting on mid waters.

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Accompanied by the Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Sarat Lara Braimah and President, Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), Ganiyu Tarzan Balogun, Dr Moghalu assured that NIWA will not fail in its responsibilities to enthrone enduring accident-free water transportation signature across littoral states in Nigeria.

Mr Balogun thumped up the NIWA initiative, saying that Dr Moghalu is a man of his words and should be trusted to make water transportation safe and attractive for all end users.

“At the last stakeholders meeting last year in Lagos, Dr Moghalu promised to ensure a navigable Lagos waterways through provision of buoys which would not only serve as an anchor point for distressed boat operators but will help provide access and geographical location to rescue efforts and today, we have seen that promised fulfilled and we say more grease to his elbows,” Balogun stated.