By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
APPROVAL HAS been granted for N14.6 billion to procure modern boats and ferries to replace unsafe wooden vessels and improve safety, trade and passenger movement on Nigeria’s inland waterways.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, disclosed this in Osun State during a courtesy visit by the Coalition of Maritime Journalists, which also presented him with a letter nominating him as the Most-Friendly Maritime Chief Executive Officer.
Oyebamiji said the newly approved boats and ferries would be deployed across major riverine states, including Niger, Benue, Kogi, Kwara and Kebbi, where waterways remain critical for community movement and commercial activities.
“I presented a paper to the Federal Government through the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, and about N14.6 billion was approved for the procurement of standard boats and ferries capable of safely carrying agricultural products and passengers on our inland waters,” he said.
He noted that inland water transportation in many hinterland states has long been hampered by obsolete wooden boats and unsafe operating practices, often resulting in avoidable accidents.
He said the procurement would significantly reduce reliance on unsafe craft and enhance food supply chains, allowing farm produce to move faster and cheaper from rural communities to urban markets.
Oyebamiji revealed that wooden boats contribute about 20 to 25 per cent of challenges on inland waterways, while human error accounts for nearly 70 per cent of accidents.
“There was a time when I organised training and discovered that some operators were under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Safety is not only about vessels, but also about behaviour. With better boats, supervision and sensitisation, we can change that culture,” he stated.
Reflecting on reforms under his leadership, he said NIWA moved away from being known mainly for boat mishaps to prioritising staff welfare, motivation and stakeholder engagement.
Now the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Osun State, he urged the media to sustain its support, stressing that transparency, accountability and people centred leadership would guide his political ambitions.
Earlier, chairman of the Coalition of Maritime Journalists, Mr Frank Meke, praised Oyebamiji for his accessibility and support for journalists, noting that his openness strengthened maritime reporting and reforms in the inland waterways sector.
Receiving the recognition, Oyebamiji described the honour as a symbol of accountability and cooperation between regulators and the media.
