Maritime Agencies
NIWA Poised To Overcome Waterways Insecurity, Enlists Media Assistance.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
In what a keen observer has described as unprecedented in the annals of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), the new Managing Director, Alhaji Bola Oyebamiji visited Lagos, Friday, with the full complement of his senior management staff to fete the maritime press and bring to public knowledge the agency’s activities and projections under his leadership.
Engr Sarat Lara Braimah, GM, Lagos Area Office, NIWA.
This move, according to him, underscores the level of regard the agency has for the press and the need to carry them along as he strives to discharge his responsibilities.
The interaction which took place at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, brought to the fore the trending issue of inland waterway safety and security, among others. Realizing the need to address it as exhaustively as possible following the widespread public concern, the NIWA boss emphasized the agency’s stiff resolve to address and overcome it in line with her statutory mandate. This is necessary to earn the confidence of people who sail on about 3,000 kilometres navigable stretch of Nigeria’s inland waterways.
A cross-section of NIWA Senior Management team.
On specific achievements so far, the Managing Director said: “Within one year, NIWA, through the supervisory effort of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy under the leadership of His Excellency Gboyega Oyetola, CON, has a new Water Transportation Code, 2023.
“Within the same period, the agency has deployed several operational assets including 15 boats of varying capacities and uses to promote efficiency and service delivery”.
“Similarly, we have provided greater incentives to our workers through the official commissioning of several projects to promote a better working environment. Not only this, we have continued to treat the welfare of our workers as a priority.”
He regretted that notwithstanding, the twin cankerworm of safety and insecurity on the inland waterways as exemplified in occasional cases of boat mishaps appear to take the shine off the laudable steps being taken to enthrone better performance.
“To confront this headlong, we have reconsidered our safety campaign approach to focus more on the grassroots using community resources.”
On this score, he explained, NIWA has carried out more grassroots campaign in one year than any other time.
“Also, we have deployed water marshals across different loading and offloading points in the country. It may interest you to know that within three months of its launch, we have increased the number of our water marshals from 80 to 350 personnel. Recently, these officers were directed to commence 24-hour surveillance within selected locations to arrest the ugly incidents of night travel and overloading.”
He recalled an inclusive and critical stakeholders meeting in Abuja specifically convened recently to evaluate the current challenges on the inland waterways transportation and the best approach to tackle them.
The meeting attended by transportation commissioners from more than 24 states, among other groups, highlighted several measures that must be taken to arrest the twin issues of safety and insecurity on the inland waterways.
On the critical role of the media as the purveyor of information dissemination and public enlightenment, the Managing Director implored them to rise to the occasion and let the world know how far the agency is striving to promote her core responsibility of ensuring safer and more secure inland waterways. The key, he appealed to the media, is aggressive advocacy. He identified human error as the most potent cause of boat accidents and harped on the need to build better capacity while strictly applying the letters of the new Water Transportation Code to achieve results.
“A further evaluation reveals that poor attitude and blatant disregard of safety protocol account for the greatest causes of boat mishaps. We, therefore, call on you to join us in educating our people on the need to be safety conscious always.”
On the relevance of technology in managing the waterways, he compared Nigeria’s system with what obtains in other areas in the world.
“A recent visit to Spain revealed that a lot of activities within their waters are monitored with the aid of technology. We are in the process of having a cooperative agreement with the Spanish Ministry of Marine, Blue and Black Economy on how to deploy these in monitoring our waterways too.”
To improve the quality of service and reduce cases of boat accidents to the barest minimum, he said NIWA would intensify continuous training of boat drivers to bring them to speed with professional requirements in terms of conduct as they discharge their duties.
During his intervention on the issue of channel charting, the agency’s Head of Surveys, Engr Henry Adimoha, affirmed that NIWA has the capacity and expertise for hydrological charting and survey of the waterways because navigational aids are available to enhance operations.
Aside human error, he explained, most mishaps occur during heavy rains and high tides which overrun areas ordinarily made up of natural
vegetation, thereby forcing boat drivers to lose track, miss navigable channels and run into stumps and even trees that have become submerged in flood.
On the ongoing campaign against water hyacinth, Hon Olabamiji regretted that harvesters procured by the agency in the past to fight the stubborn weed have become obsolete. The option of outsourcing the collection and disposal to competent and qualified contractors with track record of performance is being seriously considered because it is cheaper.
Maritime Agencies
All Roads Lead To Apapa For MARAN’s Breakfast Meeting on Nigeria – China Currency Swap Deal
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The much-publicized Nigeria- China Currency Swap Deal Breakfast Meeting on the theme “Navigating the Nigeria-Peoples Republic Of China Currency Swap: Opportunities and Challenges for Import, Export and Maritime Business” takes place
on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 by 10 at the Rockview Hotel, Apapa, Lagos.
In a reminder by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), the host, its
President, Mr. Godfrey Bivbere, said the event will attract participants from the government and private sector as well as the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria.
Also, the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership, importers, exporters, maritime operators and trade organizations have signified readiness to attend.
Mr Bivbere said that MARAN is hosting the Breakfast Meeting in fulfillment of her role as a watch- dog in the maritime sector and to ensure that Nigerian businessmen take full advantage of the matter to be discussed.
The Nigeria-China currency swap aims to facilitate bilateral trade by providing Naira liquidity to Chinese businesses and Yuan liquidity to Nigerian businesses, thereby reducing reliance on foreign currencies for transactions.
The meeting, Mr Bivbere said, would provide a platform for critical stakeholders in the import and export sectors, policymakers, and government to examine the implications of the currency swap deal, especially in the face of the fluctuating value of the US dollar and its impact on imports.
It will foster better understanding of the currency swap deal and its impact on stakeholders involved in import, export and maritime businesses.
Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Chinese Embassy have confirmed they will attend.
Aare Hakeem Olanrewaju, event Chairman and Chairman of the Customs Consultative Council, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), and other major stakeholders have also confirmed they are set to attend.
The breakfast meeting promises to provide the necessary insights for stakeholders to navigate the opportunities and perceived challenges in the currency swap deal.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Maritime journalist and communications professional, Joshua Yousouph, Thursday, added a feather to his distinguished academic cap when he earned a Master of Science (MSc) Degree in Communication Studies from the Lagos State University (LASU).
Yousouph, a member of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) who currently serves as a News Reporter with Shipping Position Daily, balanced his rigorous full-time reporting job with the demands of a full-time postgraduate programme. He also doubles as an On-Air Personality on Shipping Position Live, a leading maritime radio programme aired thrice weekly on Star FM 101.5FM, Lagos.
In 2019, Yousouph earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State. Driven by a passion for professionalism and excellence, he enrolled for an academic Masters Degree in Communication Studies at the Lagos State University.
Part of the requirement for his postgraduate journey was an MSc dissertation entitled “Maritime Reportage in Some Selected Newspapers in Nigeria”. Yousouph conducted a research on the content analysis of three major national dailies, critically examining the volume, depth, and consistency of their maritime coverage. The study explored how these newspapers portray maritime issues and the implications for public awareness, sector development, and policy engagement and economic development. His research is considered a valuable contribution to the ongoing efforts on strengthening maritime communication and visibility in mainstream Nigerian media.
Yousouph, a young and dynamic journalist, is a member of the Editorial Board of MARAN News, a bi-monthly tabloid dedicated to critical maritime sector issues. Over the years, he has served on various editorial boards, building a reputation for excellence in content development, news reporting and public interest journalism.
He is also an Associate Member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), further cementing his professional standing in the communications field.
Yousouph dedicates this achievement to his family, mentors, colleagues, and every aspiring journalist who continues to chase ennobling dreams in the face of challenges.
“This degree is not just a personal achievement”, he notes, “but a symbol of what is possible when passion, perseverance and purpose align.”
Maritime Agencies
Distinguish Between Reclamation and Industrial Dredging, Dredgers’ Association Tells Works Minister.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The Dredgers’ Association of Nigeria (DAN) has advised the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to separate reclamation activities from industrial dredging so as not to confuse Nigerians over the two different types of economic activity.
Rising from an emergency meeting in Lagos, Wednesday, DAN took a strong exception to an accusation by the Minister that dredgers are responsible for the poor infrastructural state of Eko and Carter bridges in Lagos.
Disagreeing with the Minister’s position, Mr Richard Ntan, DAN’s General Secretary, submitted that there is no direct corelation between
dredging and bridge infrastructure.
“We wish to clarify that industrial dredging carried out by our members is not the cause of the damage observed in these structures,”
Industrial dredging, according to DAN, is highly regulated, focusing on areas in the creeks and centre of the Lagos lagoon far away from the bridges. Industrial dredging carried out by DAN members is a key essential for maintaining navigable waterways and smooth movement of vessels in and out of Lagos. It is crucial and contributes to growing the city’s economic development.
Industrial dredging, the association’s scribe further clarified, is not harmful to infrastructure such as bridges because the process is driven through a well-articulated environmental ecosystem assessment which ensures deeper waterways for large vessels. There is regulation through professional methods strictly supervised to minimise any negative impact.
However, the association called for thorough investigation of the ongoing reclamation dredging near Third Mainland Bridge as it is time to truly know the status of those who do reclamation dredging activities as against industrial dredging only members of DAN are known for.
“We at DAN support the Minister that reclamation dredging activities should not take place near bridges. It’s important that the Minister finds out the true picture of those dredging near bridges and also not lump us at the Dredgers Association of Nigeria with such operators,” Ntan stated.
Dredgers Association of Nigeria, he insisted, remains committed to the responsible conduct of dredging activities in Lagos and across Nigeria in full compliance with national regulations to ensure that operations and activities do not harm the environment or vital national infrastructure.
DAN, he added, shares in the Minister’s concerns about the need to preserve Nigeria’s infrastructure.
“We are dedicated to ensuring that all dredging operations are carried out in ways that support the nation’s economic growth while safeguarding critical infrastructure such as bridges”.
All Roads Lead To Apapa For MARAN’s Breakfast Meeting on Nigeria – China Currency Swap Deal
MARAN’s Joshua Yousouph Bags Master’s Degree in Communication Studies
Distinguish Between Reclamation and Industrial Dredging, Dredgers’ Association Tells Works Minister.
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