The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has revealed that the agency and the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) collaborates on everything concerning inland waterways in Lagos, except revenue sharing because there is no way a Federal Government agency and a State Government agency can share revenue over resources under exclusive legislative list.
Speaking during a stakeholders meeting held in Lagos on Wednesday, the General Manager in charge of Marine, Mr Joseph Ororo who represented the agency’s Managing Director explained that because inland waterways represent the exclusive aspect of regulation, NIWA and LASWA cannot collaborate on revenue sharing.
According to the NIWA MD, “Yes, we collaborate with LASWA in every aspect of waterways regulation. We even have a stakeholder meeting tomorrow where both of us will be presenting papers on ways to further develop the inland waterways in Lagos. However, inland waterways fall under the exclusive legislation list, and there is no way we can collaborate on certain aspects of its regulation like revenue sharing.
“The law says a State can only collect revenue on any waterways that starts and ends in such State; and in Lagos, I don’t think there is anybody of inland waterways that starts and ends in Lagos. The lagoon in Marina here stretches as far as outside Nigeria and even serves as an inter-state waterway. So, there is no way we can have collaboration in revenue that comes from its regulation.”
Buttressing the Managing Directors view, the Lagos Area Manager, Engineer Sarat Lara Braimah added that there is no way she will dip her hands in revenue meant for the Federal Government and share with any State under the guise of regulation.
“I currently collaborate with the LASWA in the regulation of inland waterways in Lagos. We share ideas and brainstorm on ways to further improve the Lagos inland waterways. However, if anybody expects collaboration to also include revenue sharing, then such person is wrong because I won’t dip my hands in monies meant for the Federal Government and share with a State Government. Statutorily, it is wrong and that won’t happen while I am NIWA Area Manager.”
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