Former area manager, Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Warri office, Tammy Fiberesima, on Friday said the agency is creating employment people and making money for the federal Government.
Fiberesima who spoke to BussinessDay in Warri said when he came on board on March 2, 2018, he embarked on massive infrastructural drive in the office including the resuscitation of the workshop, record keeping using the ICT and salvaging of two American wrecked Tugboats among others.
The outgone Area Manager said they have engaged people that can build boats, but lamented that though they have the facilities to work, the market is not there.
“Two of our American Tugboats were inside the water for a long time, we salvaged and make it float and get private person to come in.
“Right now, one has gone for sea trial, the first voyage to Lagos.
“Each of the Tugboat will have 10 crew, so 20 persons will be employed as crew, therefore, we are creating business and making money for the government,” Fiberesima said.
On security matters, the outgone Area Manager said that effective collaboration with stakeholders was critical in tackling insecurity challenges in the waterways.
Fiberesima he had been able to checkmate the activities of the sea pirates and other criminal elements in the waterways to the bearest minimum.
According to Fiberesima, he was able to form a synergy with the Marine police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and others to achieve the feat.
“We establish enforcement committee made up of stakeholders, the chairman of the committee is the Special Adviser to the Delta governor, Ifeanyi Okowa on waterway transportation, Mr Samson Dibowei.
“We also have the Marine police, NSCDC, we release our equipment like the gunboat for them to use for security task operations.
“We also have a monitoring group made up of people from the riverine areas, so we divert the strenght of the youth to our direction and make them to work for us.
“As a regulator, we try to create an understanding, organised series of stakeholders meetings and also present certificate of appreciation to those obeying the rules of the waterway.
“So within the few period I spent in Warri office, we were able to checkmate insecurity in the waterways through effective synergy,” he said.
The Area Manager said the Warri office of NIWA engaged in boat registration in collaboration with the anti-graft agency.
“Any boat that is caught, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will call us to give the identity of the vessel,” he said.
Fiberesima said he commenced public enlightenment through radio
and display billboards in some major communities in the riverine to sensitise the people on the need to obey the waterways safety rules.
