The immediate past managing director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, has narrated how deliberate welfare and operational reforms helped revive the agency from a moribund state and significantly improved safety and performance during his tenure.
Oyebamiji spoke last week in Osun State during a courtesy visit by maritime journalists, reflecting on his two-and-a-half years at the helm of the inland waterways regulator. He said when he assumed office, NIWA was largely perceived as an agency defined by boat mishaps and safety failures rather than service delivery.
According to him, the authority was also less visible and less respected compared to sister agencies such as the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
“When I came in, I assessed NIWA and realised the agency was largely moribund. It was not known for efficiency or impact; it was known mainly for boat mishaps,” Oyebamiji said.
He explained that his first step was to understand the internal challenges facing the organisation, beginning with a comprehensive engagement with staff across the board.
“I called for a general meeting. I wanted to hear directly from them — their thoughts, their challenges, their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats,” he said.
Oyebamiji noted that his assessment revealed deep staff frustration, which he identified as a major contributor to safety lapses on the waterways. This, he said, informed his decision to prioritise staff welfare as the foundation of the agency’s reform agenda.
He disclosed that close to 15 welfare and operational challenges were addressed during his tenure, including the provision of patrol boats, improvements in working conditions, and increased motivation for frontline officers responsible for enforcing safety on inland waterways.
The former NIWA boss stressed that the agency’s turnaround was not driven by mass recruitment, but by repositioning and empowering the existing workforce.
“We did not employ new staff. We worked with the same old staff. But we added value to them, and in return, they added value to the agency,” he said.
“I carried out a risk analysis and identified the necessary mitigants. I went to the minister and told him that, if I were to succeed, certain things had to be done. He gave me a free hand. We invested in boats and, more importantly, in our people. People are the most relevant assets anywhere in the world.”
Oyebamiji said the approach yielded measurable results, with the agency recording between 70 and 80 per cent success in its reform efforts, translating into about a 70 per cent reduction in boat mishaps nationwide.
“Safety is not only about equipment. It is also about mindset, motivation and responsibility,” he said.
Now, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Osun State, Oyebamiji, said that although he had planned to spend four years at NIWA, his tenure lasted about two and a half years. Nevertheless, he said his focus was on institutionalising welfare-driven and safety-oriented processes that would endure beyond his exit.
“I had a 20-year plan for NIWA. If you don’t develop people, everything else will decay,” he said.
“What we achieved came from staff who were once neglected, hungry and angry, but later empowered to deliver safety and efficiency.”
Summing up his stewardship, Oyebamiji said his legacy at NIWA was centred on people, safety and sustainability.
“My legacy is simple: prioritise people, enforce safety and make inland waterways work for Nigerians. I may have left NIWA, but I will not leave NIWA alone,” he concluded.
