NIWA MD marks one year in office, pays courtesy visits to Transport Minister, Perm Sec

Oru Leonard

Managing Director of Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), George Moghalu yesterday paid a courtesy visit on the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation in Nigeria, Dr Magdalene Ajani to brief them on his one year in office on Thursday,. October 8, 2020.

At the visit to the Honourable Minister which was held at the residence of the Minister, Moghalu thanked Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for recommending him for the office of the MD NIWA and for supporting the activities of the agency. He further thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and the Ministry for helping the agency in developing the inland waters of the nation.

“Today is October 8th, precisely about a year ago, I reported about NIWA’s activities in Kogi and the beautiful thing about it. Also in this sitting room you told me that you have recommended me as the MD of Inland waterways authority.

“I felt that today that is one-year to the glory of God I have spent in that office, that the right thing is to come in this same sitting room with my members to appreciate you,” Moghalu said.

Responding, the Minister commended Moghalu for his effectiveness in steering the affairs of the agency, urging him to do more. “You did well, go ahead and carry out your duty very well. The most important thing is that we are able to reform the Transportation sector together. I want to make sure that the Onitsha Cargo Port is finished, then we can talk about the Aba railway,” Amaechi said.

Reiterating his support for NIWA, Amaechi said: “You have done noble and be rest assured of my support any time any day.”

At a separate meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani congratulated Moghalu for his one year in office which was marked with the flag off of activities at the Onitsha River port. The Permanent Secretary, Dr Magdalene Ajani said: “I want to sincerely thank you and all that made this day a memorable one, I feel greatly honored and I want to thank all of you. Your coming to this Ministry is strategic and I believe that every appointment given is destined spiritually. I know that your coming here today is to the glory of God.

“Thank you and congratulations. I rejoice with you for having one year in tenure and I also want to say thank you to your management team. The beautiful thing is that we are reviving our Inland waters and I was glad to read in the media yesterday that you ran the test with barge which sailed safely to Onitsha from Onne. This is something that we are waiting for, we all know the crisis and deadlock on Apapa.

“The aim of the Ministry of Transportation is to make sure that the gridlock has been removed through our multi model transport system. So if we can move containers from Lagos and Onne ports and the barges through our inland waters and therefore free the roads from the containers that are destroying the roads, because those are quite many instruments to be on the road then we will be able to say that we have done something.

“So in that light apart from the inland waters, we are also exploiting the rails that are still connected to the ports. So that by rails through our inland waters we can move these containers to their various destination. We are also aware of the inland drive ports, people have to be able to stay somewhere and have their goods purchased and delivered to them virtually at their door post.

“That is what transportation is all about and that is one of the mandate of the President to the Ministry. To make us deliver this multi rural transport system and network them so that people and goods can move from one destination to the other safely, efficiently and Increase productivity in the economy.

“We all know what will happen when we have an efficient transportation system, people can come out of their farms, put their products on the transport and get it to consumers. That will definitely drive the economy.

“And I encourage you to continue in focusing and opening up of our inland ports because that is where we will be able to know how much we are imparting on the society with mobility of their goods, sales and products.

“On behalf of the team, the Management and Staffs we are grateful, we will show loyalty and commitment, we shall make sure that all the necessary arsenals are put in place to succeeed,” Ajani said.

On his part, Moghalu thanked God for the opportunity to serve and pledged to work towards ensuring success in the Ministry of Transportation.

Moghalu said, “Your success is our success. If you have any challenges it also reflects on us so I want to say once more that I’m happy for this tremendous opportunity; to God be the glory.

With Moghalu during the courtesy visits were some of the management staff of NIWA, the General Manager Legal services, Gladima Ibrahim (Esq), the General Manager Human Resources and Adminstration, Engr. Usman Danlada, the General Manager Engineering Services, Engr Simbi and the General Manager Marine, Engr Joseph Uroro.