The immediate past Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, has disclosed that his targeted welfare and operational reforms repositioned the agency’s workforce and improved performance during his tenure.
Oyebamiji, who spoke in Osun State last week while receiving some maritime journalists on a courtesy visit, reflected on his two-and-a-half-year leadership of the authority and the measures adopted to address staff welfare, motivation, and operational effectiveness.
He said that at the time of his appointment, NIWA was largely perceived for safety challenges rather than for service delivery. The ex-NIWA boss added that his initial focus was to assess the condition of the workforce and institutional gaps before implementing reforms.
Oyebamiji said staff frustration posed a major safety risk on the waterways, prompting him to prioritise welfare as a foundation for reform. He noted that nearly 15 welfare and operational issues were addressed, including the provision of patrol boats, improved working conditions and motivation for field officers responsible for waterway safety.
Oyebamiji stressed that the breakthrough at NIWA did not come from mass recruitment but from repositioning existing workers. According to him, once staff morale improved, discipline and safety enforcement on the waterways followed naturally.
“I did my risk analysis and looked at the mitigants. I went to the minister and told him that if I must do well, certain things must be done. He gave me a free hand. The first thing we did was to invest in boats and also take care of our staff. We didn’t employ new staff. It was the same old staff. But we added value to them, and they added value back to the agency. People are the most relevant assets anywhere in the world. What we did differently helped us record about 70 to 80 per cent success, and that translated to about a 70 per cent reduction in boat mishaps. Safety is not only equipment; it is also mindset, motivation and responsibility,” Oyebamiji said.
Oyebamiji, now the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Osun State, said that while he had intended to serve a four-year term at NIWA, he spent roughly two and a half years in office, during which he prioritised embedding safety- and welfare-focused systems designed to endure beyond his tenure.
NIWA is the federal agency responsible for developing, regulating, and managing Nigeria’s inland waterways—the rivers, lakes, creeks, and coastal channels used for navigation and transport.
