By Thompson Yampu
The Chairman of the Board of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Alhaji Muktar Shagari, said the safety of lives on Nigeria’s waterways is crucial for professionalism, efficiency, and national development.
He made the declaration on Thursday while delivering his first address to the NIWA management and staff at the Authority’s headquarters in Lokoja, Kogi.
Shagari lamented the lives lost on Nigeria’s waterways in the past, saying, “Enough is enough of such avoidable losses.
“Nigeria’s waterways hold enormous opportunities for transportation, agriculture, tourism, and energy. With unity, professionalism, and commitment, NIWA can become a flagship agency for federal reform and national progress.
“We will strengthen enforcement of safety regulations, improve monitoring systems, and promote a culture of professionalism across all NIWA operations.
“Every life lost on our waterways is one too many. Under this board, safety is not negotiable.
“In line with President Bola Tinubu’s drive for economic expansion, we must ensure that inland waterways become a reliable alternative to the overstretched road network.”
The chairman stated that the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda challenges every federal institution to raise its standards, strengthen transparency, and deliver tangible results that improve the lives of Nigerians.
“For NIWA, this agenda aligns perfectly with our mandate: to transform Nigeria’s inland waterways into safe, efficient, and economically vibrant corridors of national development,” he said.
Shagari added that the board would continue to support training, reward excellence, and uphold fairness in career progression, while insisting on discipline, accountability, and ethical conduct at all levels.
“Our renewed hope must reflect in our character, not only in our projects.
“Just as the board stands ready to support the management and staff as we together chart a new course for NIWA, one rooted in service, innovation, and renewed hope for our country,” he assured.
Earlier, the Acting Managing Director of NIWA, Mr Umar Yusuf-Girei, who is also a board member, said Shagari’s appointment as board chairman came at a crucial time in the evolution of the authority.
Yusuf-Girei expressed confidence that Shagari’s extensive experience, leadership capacity, and commitment to national development would significantly enhance the achievement of the authority’s mandates.
“The Authority was established by Decree No. 13 of 1997 (now CAP N47 LFN 2004) with a mandate to develop, regulate, and manage over 3,000 navigable inland waterways in Nigeria.
“These waterways include rivers, creeks, and lagoons, and are crucial for the safe transportation of goods and passengers, driving economic growth.
“To deliver on its mandates, NIWA operates from its headquarters in Lokoja through various departments and 23 operational bases across Nigeria, including two inland ports, Onitsha and Baro.
“This wide operational spread underscores the critical role of NIWA in national transportation, trade facilitation, environmental sustainability, and economic integration,” he said. NAN
