- Governing Board approves autonomy, new salary structure
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) is set to reconstruct a new jetty at its Lagos Area Command even as a Police Building is also been constructed for the agency in the state.
NIWA Managing Director, Dr. George Moghalu revealed this yesterday when he hosted the Board Chairman of the NIWA, Senator Binta Masi Garba, and other members of the board at the NIWA Lagos Area Office.
Moghalu also noted that there are areas in Lagos that NIWA is looking forward to boost it’s presence by constructing more infrastructures and jetties.
He explained that the agency has entered into Public Private Partnership (PPP) with some companies who would invest in the waterways and open it up by injecting facilities and purchasing more boats.
“We believe that the maritime sector has great potential to expand the Nigerian economy. So we have open contacts with companies on PPP arrangement to open up the waterways, unless we do this, we cannot maximize the profitability of the sector,” Moghalu said.
Earlier, Senator Binta said that the agency is now autonomous having exited the Federal Government’s Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). This according to her means the agency is able to generate revenue to care of its staffing needs.
Senator Garba also led a tour of NIWA facilities in Lagos and commended the Lagos Area Office under the leadership of Engr. Sarat Braimah in the area of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) which hit N1billion, an increase from the previous N600million.
Having listened to the myriad of challenges at the Lagos Area Office, the NIWA Board Chairman advised the agency’s management to prioritize the needs of Lagos as part of efforts to encourage the commendable output at the Area Office.
“Lagos Area Office is becoming too small, and motivation is key to any staff if you want to get the best from them. I align myself with the needs of the workers, without the funding and the vehicles, there is no way they can move around to get more IGR”
“The joy that I have is that they (NIWA) are now autonomous, they can create things for themselves, they are now an agency generating revenue to take care of their wellbeing and give back some fraction of it to the federal government,” the Board Chairman said.
On her part, Braimah commended the Board Chairman and the Managing Director, Dr George Moghalu for the increase in staff salaries which reflected in the February 2023 salaries.
Braimah equally appreciated the board and management for the Public-Private Arrangement for the agency’s property at Oyingbo, which was concessioned to Morbod, adding that it has given NIWA publicity and a good name.